Ever since its launch and implementation, the UIDAI initiative, commonly known as ‘Aadhaar’, has been highly instrumental in digitising finances for Indian citizens. In the early 2010s, digital banking (or net banking as it was known then) was only accessible to those who had computers and internet access. Today, with the UPI, just about anyone with a smartphone can send and receive money instantly. A large part of this was made possible through the ID verification that Aadhaar brought with it.
If you’re opening a savings bank account in 2023, you mandatorily need an Aadhaar card as part of the KYC verification process. If it’s a bank account opened before Aadhaar was mandated, then you’ll need to link your Aadhar.
Checking the status of your Aadhaar and bank account linking is quite easy. All it takes is a few minutes. And here is what you need to do:
Visit the official UIDAI website here and click on the ‘Check Aadhaar/Bank Seeding Status’ option.
You will then be redirected to the UIDAI’s bank mapper web page. Here, you need to first enter your 12-digit Aadhaar UID or your 16-digit VID, as the case may be.
Then, enter the characters shown on the page as the security code and click on the ‘Send OTP’ or the ‘Enter TOTP’ option. (TOTP stands for time-based OTP)
A 6-digit OTP or an 8-digit TOTP will be sent to the mobile number that is registered with your Aadhaar number. Enter this OTP or TOTP in the relevant field and click on ‘Submit.’
The UIDAI website will then display your bank seeding status and the bank account that is linked with your Aadhaar, if any. However, keep in mind that only the name of the bank will be displayed. You will not see other details like the account number. So, in case you have multiple bank accounts in the same bank, you need to visit the bank in person and confirm which bank account has been seeded with your Aadhaar.
It is also possible to check the status of your Aadhaar and bank account linking on the mAadhaar app. Here is what you need to do in this regard.
Step 1: Login to the mAadhaar app using your login credentials.
Step 2: Click on the ‘My Aadhaar‘ option and select the ‘Aadhaar-Bank Account Link Status.’
Step 3: Then, enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number and the security captcha shown, and click on the ‘Request OTP’ option.
Step 4: You will then receive an OTP on the mobile number that is registered with your Aadhaar. Enter this in the space provided and click on ‘Verify‘ to check your Aadhaar and bank account linking status.
Some banks also offer the option to check the status of your Aadhaar and bank account linking directly on their website. If your bank offers this option, all you need to do is enter your bank account number and the captcha or security code shown, if any. Once you submit these details, the bank’s web page will display whether or not your specific bank account has been linked to your Aadhaar. This helps you check the Aadhaar and bank linking status right from the comfort of your home.
It’s not mandatory (yet) but super useful to link your Aadhaar with your bank account. On Fi Money, this allows you to digitally open a bank account without having to visit a branch. Your KYC is done entirely online, and you will have a bank account to use within minutes.
Aadhaar linking also allows you to connect your other bank accounts on Fi Money, so you can see your savings balances from other bank accounts right on the Fi app without having to open all those other mobile banking apps just to check your balance.
Linking your Aadhaar with your bank account has many advantages. First, it acts as a valid KYC norm, thus making it easier to open the bank account. Second, it also facilitates easier credit of subsidies like LPG subsidy and other government-related credits like income tax refunds.
Also, by linking your Aadhaar with your bank account, you can also reduce the likelihood of bank-related frauds, make fraud detection easier, and operate your bank account from anywhere in the country. So, check your Aadhaar card and bank linking status and get this done if you haven’t already.
It is not mandatory to link your Aadhaar number and bank account. So, if you do not complete this process immediately, there will be no major inconvenience for you, per se. However, linking your Aadhaar to your bank account gives you many advantages such as easier credit of subsidies, quicker KYC verification, reduced chances of fraudulent activities and quicker detection and resolution of frauds, if any.
You can check your NPCI bank linking status by either logging into the official UIDAI website, or through the mAadhaar app, or simply by calling *99*99#
Usually, it can take about 5-6 business days to update your Aadhaar status with your bank.