{"id":3079,"date":"2018-06-28T09:30:08","date_gmt":"2018-06-28T09:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/signdesk.com\/?p=3079"},"modified":"2025-09-17T07:04:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T12:34:18","slug":"uidais-virtual-id-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melento.ai\/en-in\/blog\/uidais-virtual-id-solution","title":{"rendered":"Is UIDAI\u2019s Virtual ID a Feasible Solution For Aadhaar?"},"content":{"rendered":"

UIDAI<\/a>‘s Virtual ID :<\/span><\/h2>\n

After a lot of hear and cry about the ease of purchasing the Aadhaar database for as little as <\/span>\u20b9<\/span>500, UIDAI<\/a> launched the Virtual ID<\/a><\/span> (VID) to counter this revelation. This VID is in place for the Aadhaar number<\/strong><\/a> for authentication and provides a limited KYC.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>UIDAI<\/a> created the Virtual ID which is a mechanism that cannot be mapped back to the Aadhaar number<\/a>. This would add another level of security wherein the UID tokens would ensure uniqueness to the beneficiaries without allowing the sub-AUAs to store the Aadhaar number.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Is<\/p>\n

Earlier, Aadhaar was primarily used for the purpose of authentication for Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) and providing KYC User Agencies (KUAs),<\/a> KYC data when required on details which include the Name, Address or even Date of Birth. The Authentication User Agencies use Aadhaar to provide the authorization and validity after you provide the Aadhaar number and the name of the user by the entity. The KYC User Agencies would provide KYC data when requested by entities about the user. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Authentication User Agencies (AUAs)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nKYC User Agencies (KUAs)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
An AUA or Authentication User Agency is a requesting entity that submits Aadhaar number and either demographic or biometric information of an individual to the Central Identities Data Repository<\/strong> (CIDR)<\/strong> for authentication.<\/span><\/td>\nA KUA or KYC User Agency provides you with e-KYC details about the Aadhaar cardholder. KUA can provide details which include Name, Address, and Date of Birth<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Global AUAs are the entities that are required to authenticate customers using Aadhaar number<\/span><\/td>\nKUAs refers to the types of authentication access allowed by the UIDAI to Aadhaar data.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Local AUAs are not permitted to verify a client using Aadhaar number but are only allowed to use VID for OTP based authentication<\/span><\/td>\nKUAs provide all information related to an Aadhaar Card Holder which goes through stringent legal and technical specifications.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Examples of Global AUAs include <\/span>DBS, ICICI, IDFC, IndusInd, KVB, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Equitas Small Finance Banks, NPCI<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Examples of Local AUAs include Bajaj, L&T, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Home Credit, Mannapuram, Zen Lefin, Tata Capital<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n		Examples of KUAs are Banks, Insurance, Telecom and Directorate of Income Tax <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\n<\/span>With the <\/span>launch of VID<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>\u00a0Limited KYC, and the introduction of a blanket restriction on Storage of Aadhaar Number, by Local AUA’s the UIDAI<\/a> sought to get an order and introduce the security layer, in the Aadhaar User Databases.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Further UIDAI sought to create a classification amongst Agencies, which were previously using Aadhaar Number<\/strong><\/a> for Authentication Services. Thereby restricting usage of Aadhaar Number by certain entities. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The Global AUAs have access to Aadhaar data while the Local AUAs have limited access to Aadhaar data as per the act. Since the update has come into place, linking Aadhaar number or storing Aadhaar related information is illegal and punishable.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What is Virtual ID (VID)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

UIDAI by its <\/span>notification dated January 10, 2018<\/span><\/a>, introduced the concept of Virtual ID. The Virtual ID was conceptualized to be a revocable 16 Digit Number, generated by Aadhaar Holder, to use in transactions, where previously Aadhaar Number was used for authentication.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Virtual ID can be used for the purpose of authentication just like the Aadhaar number. This VID can be generated on the UIDAI\u2019s residential portal. This UIDAI requires the entities to migration to the new system which is authenticated using the VID. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Digital ID can be regenerated several times and this makes it a safer option instead of sharing your Aadhaar number. The VID is revocable and at any time it can be replaced by a new number by the Aadhaar holders after it expires the minimum validity period set by UIDAI. This can be accessed with the registered mobile number and the OTP that you receive. <\/span><\/p>\n

In simple words, the VID masks the Aadhaar number and information and this is done through a solution called Tokenization. This token number is unique for a particular entity and remains the same for authentication requests. However, for different AUAs and Sub-AUAs, the UID token would differ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the guidelines of the New Virtual ID from UID include:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n