Checking into hotels or verifying the identity of gig workers may soon become simpler, with physical photocopies of Aadhaar cards no longer required under an expanded digital verification system.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has onboarded 300 organisations since January under its consent-based offline Aadhaar verification framework.
The initiative aims to reduce paperwork, minimise data privacy risks and make identity verification more convenient.
The newly onboarded Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs) represent sectors such as hospitality, travel, healthcare, education, gig economy and consumer services. The system will facilitate digital identity checks for hotel check-ins, venue entry, hospital admissions, university enrolments and the onboarding of platform workers and service providers.
Under the framework, individuals can share their Aadhaar credentials directly through the Aadhaar App after providing consent. Users can choose to share either their complete identity details or only selected information required for verification.Importantly, the system does not share an individual’s 12-digit Aadhaar number with the requesting organisation.
It also enables offline verification, eliminating the need for organisations to access UIDAI’s central identity database.
UIDAI said the expansion is aligned with the principles of India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, particularly consent-based data sharing and limiting the collection of personal information.
The initiative is expected to strengthen privacy safeguards while making digital identity verification more accessible through smartphones.