Dubai: The Indian Consulate General reiterated in a press release that non-resident Indians (NRIs) don’t need to link Aadhaar, India’s biometric identity card, to their Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by the Income Tax authorities.
The requirement of quoting the Aadhaar number in the income tax return will also not apply to NRIs, who are not eligible to get Aadhaar. Aadhaar card enrolment is presently available to residents in India only as per the section 3 of Aadhaar Act, 2016.
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholders who will stay in India for a long time (over 182 days within twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment) and have an Indian address can also enrol for Aadhaar Card in India. NRIs, although are citizens of India, will not be eligible for the Aadhaar card if they have not stayed there for over 182 days in the last 12 months.
Upon completion of 182 days of their stay in India in the last 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment, NRIs can apply for Aadhaar Card, said the press release.
As Gulf News exclusively reported on March 30, Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said in a telephone interview from New Delhi that the authority was not supposed to issue Aadhaar card to NRIs. “They [NRIs] cannot get a [Aadhar card].”
An Indian government notification alleviated the concerns whereby failure to link Aadhaar with PAN makes PAN redundant and thus continuing smooth bank transations for NRIs.
The requirement of quoting of Aadhaar shall not apply to NRIs for filing of return of income and for making an application for PAN with effect from July 1, 2017, according to the notification issued by the Central Government on May 11.
