Q.1105 Options for NRIs for Sim card verification without Aadhaar card
Question: Hello,
I am an NRI and hold NRO and NRE bank accounts in India.
Also, as per the UIDAI guidelines, NRIs are not eligible to apply for and hold an Aadhar Card.
The rules for Aadhar card linkage with bank accounts are very clear - this is not required in my situation.
So now the recent rules for linking an Aadhar Card with the Mobile SIM card become impossible to comply with.
I have been holding a mobile number in India since the first days of mobile coverage and do not want to lose this
connection.
I cannot apply for Aadhar because being an NRI it is illegal to hold one and I can't link Aadhar to mobile because I do not
have Aadhar!
Please advise what the solution is for this situation.
I do believe very strongly that this concept has been not thought through by all the agencies.
I hope you are able to advise.
Best Regards,
Answer: India’s Telecoms Department is apparently looking into a method to allow persons not eligible for Aadhaar to
verify their Indian mobile Sim card’s and avoid deactivation of the mobile phone numbers before deadline for
Sim/Aadhaar linking date of February 6, 2018.
As of today [November 10, 2017] there is no exemption for NRIs who have Indian Sim cards when it comes to mandatory
linking of Aadhaar and Sim. All Sim cards have to be linked to Aadhaar before February 2018 to avoid deactivation of the
Sim. Unless the government finds a solution for those who hold Sim cards and are NOT eligible to get Aadhaar, many NRIs
will lose their Indian mobile numbers and perhaps also the money they may already have on prepaid Sim cards. A decision
from the authorities to resolve this issue for NRIs is expected in the near future.
Options for those not eligible for Aadhaar to verify mobile Sim
Some of the options under consideration, that may be allowed for Sim verification for NRI’s & Foreigners who y are not
eligible for Aadhaar are verification through passport, driving license or perhaps other government issued identification
documents. An announcement in this regard is expected from the authorities in the near future.
Information
by Virendar Chand
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