Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC eliminates the need for the resident to provide a photocopy of the Aadhaar letter. You can just download the KYC XML file in zip format and provide the same to agencies that want to verify your KYC. “The KYC details are in machine-readable XML which is digitally signed by UIDAI allowing the agency to verify its authenticity and detect any tampering,” according to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website.
How to generate Aadhaar paperless e-KYC document for offline verification
The Aadhaar paperless e-KYC file in an XML format stored in a .zip file can be downloaded from the myAadhaar portal. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Go here: https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/offline-ekyc.
https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/offline-ekyc.
Source UIDAI website
Step 2: Click on ‘Login’ and input your Aadhaar number or VID number and type in the security code visible in the captcha challenge. Then click on the ‘Send OTP’ button. Type in the OTP received on your Aadhaar registered mobile number in the appropriate box.”OTP will be available on the m-Aadhaar mobile Application of UIDAI,” said UIDAI on their website.
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Step 3: Your Aadhaar dashboard will open and there will be multiple options available here. Click on the ‘Offline eKYC’ button.
https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/offline-ekyc.
Source: UIDAI websiteStep 4: Enter a share code for the Aadhaar paperless e-KYC file. This code needs to be inputted for opening the file and can be any four-digit code of your choice. Once the share code is typed in, click on ‘Download’. “A ZIP file containing your eKYC will be password protected using the above Share Code,” said the UIDAI on their website.
https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/offline-ekyc.
Source: UIDAI website
The zip file so downloaded needs to be shared with the KYC verifying agency that accepts KYC verification through offline paperless Aadhaar. For example: on the RBI retail direct platform one can use offline paperless Aadhaar e-KYC.
Also read: How to open an RBI retail direct account.
What are the advantages of using the Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC process?
According to the UIDAI website following are the advantages of using Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC process:
Aadhaar number is not revealed: The offline file for paperless Aadhaar offline KYC does not reveal the Aadhaar number, rather only a reference ID is shared.
Demographic and photo data sharing is optional: Aadhaar number holder gets a choice of the data (among the demographics data and photo) to be shared.
Security: Aadhaar KYC data downloadable by the Aadhaar number holder is digitally signed by UIDAI to verify authenticity and detect any tampering. Further KYC data is encrypted with the phrase provided by the Aadhaar number holder allowing residents control of their data,” said the UIDAI on their website.
“As ID cards go, most Indian ID cards don’t have a lot of security features that we commonly see in western ID cards. As such they are quite easy to tamper with. Luckily the text details of Indian ID cards can be easily checked against government details, something you can’t do in most countries. Offline paperless Aadhaar is unique in two ways – it is a digital document so it’s easy to process; also it has a digital signature certificate so it’s easy to check for tampering,” says Wriju Ray, Chief Business Officer, IDfy, a identity verification company.
There are multiple ways to use Aadhaar to comply with KYC and identity verification norms – like Aadhaar OTP-based e-KYC, submission of masked Aadhaar, submission of physical copies of Aadhaar, and submission of offline paperless Aadhaar e-KYC file. Do note that Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC is voluntary and Aadhaar number holder-driven. “Any agency working with people can use it with the consent of the Aadhaar number holder allowing wide usage,” UIDAI adds.
“The Offline XML will contain Name, Address, Photo, Gender, DOB, hash of registered Mobile Number, hash of registered Email Address and reference id which contains last 4 digits of Aadhaar Number followed by time stamp. It will provide Offline Aadhaar Verification facility to service providers/Offline Verification Seeking Entity (OVSE) without the need to collect or store Aadhaar number,” said the UIDAI on their website.
Why should you use the Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC filing process?
Aadhaar is not the only identity verification document that can be used for KYC compliance. PAN, Passport, school certificate, etc. can also be used for identity verification.
“Identity verification can simply be accomplished by providing an identity document like PAN card, Passport, etc. to the service provider. However, all these documents, which may be used for identification can still be forged and faked which may or may not be possible to verify offline instantaneously. The document verifier has no technological means to verify the authenticity of the document or the information it contains and has to trust the document producer. Whereas the XML file generated by the Aadhaar number holder using Aadhaar paperless offline e-KYC is a digitally signed document using UIDAI digital signature. Thus, the service provider can verify the demographic contents of the file and certify it to be authentic when doing the offline verification,” said UIDAI on their website.