Deadline extended for linking Aadhar card to bank accounts

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The government has extended the deadline for individuals to link Aadhar cards to their bank accounts to March 31. The original deadline was Dec. 31, 2017.

What does the change mean? Foreign residents who need banking services will need to obtain an Aadhar card and furnish the 12-digit biometric ID number on the card to their financial institution.

• Implementation time frame: March 31.
• What is affected: Aadhar cards, banking services.
• Who is affected: Foreign residents (those staying in India for longer than 182 days).
• Business impact: Banks may block access to banking services if an account holder does not link their Aadhar card to their account.

Background: In November, BAL reported that Indian financial institutions had begun linking customer’s bank accounts to Aadhar cards. A Dec. 31, 2017 deadline was set for linking accounts that were opened before Oct. 25, but the government said it decided to extend the deadline “after considering various representation received and inputs received from banks.”

A case in India’s Supreme Court alleges that the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers is unconstitutional.

BAL Analysis: Foreign residents needing banking services should be aware of the extended deadline if they have not already linked their Aadhar card’s biometrics ID number to their bank accounts.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in India. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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