IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw demonstrated a new Aadhaar software that does away with the necessity for users to carry physical photocopies or cards by using real-time facial ID for identification and QR code-based fast verification. In a post on X, Vaishnaw said that Aadhaar verification is now as easy as using UPI to make a payment. Once the beta testing phase is finished and it is extensively adopted nationwide, people will no longer need to provide a paper Aadhaar when requested for identification, as is now the case, for example, at a hotel, airport, or train ticket checker. The new software will allow users to confirm their identification via a QR code scan, rather than presenting hard copies of their Aadhaar.

Aadhaar verification QR codes will soon be accessible at “points of authentication,” just as UPI payment QR codes are widely accessible at almost every point of payment in India. With the new Aadhaar app, users just need to scan the QR code to have their faces quickly validated. Instead of using a photocopy, the ID is securely transferred straight from a person’s phone. In a video that was uploaded on X, Vaishnaw demonstrated the app’s capabilities.

“The new Aadhaar app, which is currently in beta testing, allows users to share only the information that is required with a single tap, giving them total control over their personal data.” Verifying your Aadhaar becomes as easy as using UPI to make a payment. By utilising a requesting application or just scanning a QR code, users may now digitally verify and share their Aadhaar credentials while maintaining their privacy, Vaishnaw said.

He went on to say that customers no longer need to get their Aadhaar scanned or photocopied thanks to the new Aadhaar app. “Aadhaar photocopies are not required to be given out at shopfronts, hotel receptions, or when travelling.