The Core Rule: Your Document Dictates Your Name — Not the Other Way Around

You can't choose the name you want on Aadhaar and then go try to find a document for it. You must request the same name on Aadhaar as is present on your document — the same name, the same spelling, the same spacing, the same initials or expansion of initials, no deviations.

If your PAN card says "S. Kumar Reddy" and you want Aadhaar issued with the name "Suresh Kumar Reddy", your PAN card cannot be used as a proof document. You'd need a document that says "Suresh Kumar Reddy".

This can be problematic if a person doesn't have consistent names on their ID cards — which is common in Karnataka where different names are often written in Kannada and English transliterations. It may be one name on SSLC but another on the bank passbook. UIDAI will only process your document if the name matches the name you request.

Decide the name first, then check which of your documents has that exact name. Work from there.

UIDAI's Accepted Documents List for Aadhaar Name Update

The UIDAI has a list of accepted documents for demographic changes. In Karnataka, the most accepted documents in 2026 are grouped as follows:

Tier 1 — Most Commonly Accepted, Fewest Complications

• Passport (Indian)
• PAN card
• Voter ID (EPIC)
• Driving licence
• Government-issued photo ID card (central or state government employees)

Tier 2 — Accepted but Sometimes Require Additional Verification

• Ration card with photo
• SSLC marks card or school leaving certificate
• Bank passbook with photo (issued by a scheduled bank)
• Post office account passbook with photo
• Kisan passbook with photo

Tier 3 — Accepted for Specific Situations

• Marriage certificate (for married name/surname change) — issued by a municipal corporation, Sub-Registrar, or under the Hindu Marriage Act / Special Marriage Act
• Gazette notification (for legal name change)
• Registered Name Change Deed (for legal name change through Sub-Registrar in Karnataka)
• Government disability ID card
• Freedom fighter card

Note: Documents must be original — not a photocopy, not expired, and not torn to the extent that the name is unreadable.

Documents for Aadhaar Name Change After Marriage in Karnataka

In Karnataka, the most common request is for people to change their surname after marriage. The documentation criteria here are more stringent than for spelling error correction.

What UIDAI Accepts for Name Change After Marriage

A marriage certificate issued by:

• The local municipal corporation or town panchayat (most common in Karnataka)
• Sub-Registrar's office under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
• Sub-Registrar's office under the Special Marriage Act, 1954
• Church, mosque, or other religious body — only if the certificate is also attested by a notary or government authority

A marriage certificate from a temple trust alone is not usually accepted. If you have only a temple trust certificate, have it notarized before attempting to update your Aadhaar name.

The marriage certificate should contain both names: the current name (as on the Aadhaar being updated) and, if possible, the new married name. If it only shows the maiden name and spouse's name, combine it with the husband's Aadhaar or passport showing the family name.

Gazette Notification for Name Change in Aadhaar Karnataka

When a person makes an official change of name (not due to marriage), a gazette notification is published. In Karnataka, it is published in the Karnataka Rajyapatra (Karnataka State Gazette) by the Home Department.

The Process

1. Submit an application to the Deputy Commissioner's office in your district
2. The notification is published in the state gazette
3. Receive a certified copy of the gazette page

The Gazette Notification Must Show

• The old name (must match exactly what currently appears on Aadhaar)
• The new name
• The applicant's address and date

Gazette notifications from both central and state gazettes are accepted by UIDAI. A central gazette (Government of India Gazette) notification is also acceptable.

Important: Updating Aadhaar with a gazette notification almost always requires a visit to a Seva Kendra. This type of name change will not be processed via the online portal.

Documents for Spelling Correction (Minor Name Change)

A spelling correction — one or two letters, removing a repeated character, or fixing a transliteration error — is not the same as a change of name. UIDAI is less strict about spelling fixes. Any government ID with the correct spelling will do.

In Karnataka, commonly accepted documents for spelling corrections include:

• SSLC marks card (very reliable for Karnataka residents — the name as parents intended is almost always reflected here)
• Passport (if already issued with the correct spelling)
• PAN card
• Voter ID

For Karnataka residents whose names were mis-transliterated from Kannada to English, the SSLC is the most useful document as it reflects the school's Kannada record.

Documents for a Minor's Aadhaar Name Change in Karnataka

Aadhaar for children below 5 (referred to as Baal Aadhaar, printed in blue) has limited biometric information. To update a child's name:

• Birth certificate showing the correct name
• School records (for school-age children)
• Parent's Aadhaar — mandatory to link with the child's update request

For children under 5, a parent's Aadhaar and any document showing the correct name is required. The parent must take the child to the Seva Kendra for updates.

If the name was left blank at the time of birth registration, first update the birth certificate in the municipal portal, then do the Aadhaar update with the updated birth certificate.

Online vs. In-Person: Document Format Requirements

Online (myAadhaar self-service)

Scanned copies in PDF or JPEG format. File size under 2MB. The scan must be clear enough for the name and number to be readable. No original required.

At Seva Kendra

Originals required. They are scanned by the operator using the UIDAI capture system. You keep your originals. The operator does not accept photocopies in place of originals.

By Post

Self-attested photocopies. Do not post originals — there is no recourse if originals are lost. "Self-attested" means you write "True Copy" on the photocopy and sign it. Notarization is optional.

What If You Don't Have Any Acceptable Document?

This does occur — people who have different names on every document they carry, or who don't have most government IDs. A few options:

Option 1 — Work with what you have

If the only government document is a ration card with a partial name, apply for the Aadhaar card with that name and update other documents from there.

Option 2 — Document trail

In Karnataka, you can apply for a PAN card using the existing Aadhaar (even with the wrong name) as identification. Then use the PAN to correct the Aadhaar. This is slow but effective.

Option 3 — Gazette notification

Anyone in Karnataka can apply for a gazette notification of name change to the Deputy Commissioner's office. You don't need existing documents showing the new name — you're announcing the change in the gazette. It then becomes your primary document for Aadhaar.

Option 4 — Contact the UIDAI helpline (1947)

Certain special situations — elderly people with no remaining ID documents, people who've lost documents in floods or fires — can be handled through an exemption process. The helpline will explain what can be done.

Note: You cannot walk into a Seva Kendra without documents and hope to convince the operator to do a manual override. They cannot.

Common Document Mistakes That Cause Rejection

Name on document doesn't match the name on request

The system rejects even a difference of one letter. Check twice before submitting.

Expired documents

A licence expired three years ago is not acceptable, even if the name is correct.

Blurry scans

The software rejects documents with unreadable text. Scan the document — don't photograph it.

Documents without government authentication

Temple marriage certificates, community-based certificates, and handwritten affidavits without notarization are routinely rejected.

Old-style documents without photos

Older ration cards and voter ID cards in Karnataka issued before photo IDs were mandated may not have photos. These may still be accepted — check the current approved list at uidai.gov.in to confirm.