Updating the address on Aadhaar can become difficult when you have moved to a new city but do not have an electricity bill, rental agreement or another accepted proof of address in your own name.
This situation is common for students living with parents, newly married people moving to their spouse’s home, young professionals staying with family and other people whose current residential address is supported by documents belonging to another family member.
UIDAI provides a Head of Family, or HoF, based address update facility for exactly this situation. An Aadhaar holder who does not have a suitable proof-of-address document in their own name may be able to update their address using an eligible family member’s Aadhaar and that person’s consent, provided they live at the same address. UIDAI currently makes the facility available through MyAadhaar and the Aadhaar App.
This guide explains how the process works in 2026, who can use it, what it costs, what the family member needs to do and what to check if the request gets delayed.
What Is the Head of Family Aadhaar Address Update?
The Head of Family method allows an Aadhaar Number Holder who does not have acceptable proof of address in their own name to request an address update using a qualifying family member’s address.
The family member effectively acts as the Head of Family and must approve the request. This is different from the standard document-based Aadhaar address update, where you upload an accepted proof-of-address document carrying your own details.
The important point is that this facility is intended for family members who are actually residing at the same address. It should not be used simply to copy another person’s address when you do not live there.
Who Can Act as Head of Family?
UIDAI’s 2026 Aadhaar enrolment and update regulations provide for family relationships including a mother, father, legal guardian, spouse, child or ward, and sibling for HoF-based address updates. The Head of Family must be at least 18 years old.
The exact information or supporting evidence requested can depend on the route used and UIDAI’s verification requirements, so applicants should follow the instructions shown in the current Aadhaar App or MyAadhaar portal rather than relying on screenshots from an older tutorial.
When Is This Method Useful?
The HoF method is particularly useful when your current address is genuine but most household documents are in another family member’s name.
For example, someone who has recently moved after marriage may be living at the same address as their spouse but may not yet have bank, utility or other accepted documents showing that address. Similarly, an adult child living with parents might not have a utility connection or property document in their own name.
If you already possess an acceptable proof-of-address document containing the correct address, the regular document-based address update may be simpler. The HoF route is particularly valuable when you do not have an appropriate PoA document in your own name.
How to Update Aadhaar Address Using a Family Member’s Aadhaar
UIDAI’s current Aadhaar App guidance shows a straightforward family-member workflow. The exact wording of menus may change as the app is updated, but the process currently works broadly as follows.
- Open the official Aadhaar App and sign in using your app PIN. Go to Services → Address Update and select the option for updating your address using a family member’s Aadhaar. If required, complete OTP verification using the mobile number associated with your Aadhaar. Enter the eligible family member’s Aadhaar number and select your relationship to that person. Complete the authentication steps shown by the app, including Face Authentication where requested. Review the details carefully and pay the applicable update fee. After submitting the request, save the acknowledgement and Service Request Number (SRN). The family member acting as Head of Family must then open their Aadhaar App, go to the family-member request area, locate the request using the SRN and approve it.
The address update does not become automatic merely because payment has been completed. The Head of Family’s consent is a key part of the process, and UIDAI can still validate the submitted request before accepting the update. UIDAI states more generally that submitting an Aadhaar update request does not guarantee that the demographic information will be changed; update requests remain subject to verification and validation.
What Is the Aadhaar Address Update Fee in 2026?
UIDAI’s current My Aadhaar information displays a ₹75 fee for address update. The current Aadhaar App FAQ also states a ₹75 charge when carrying out address updates through the app.
Because UIDAI can revise service charges, it is sensible to verify the amount displayed on the official portal or app immediately before making payment rather than depending indefinitely on an article’s published fee.
This is also why this guide includes a verification date. Government service procedures and charges can change even when the basic facility remains available.
What If Your Aadhaar Mobile Number Is Different?
UIDAI’s current app instructions distinguish between people using the Aadhaar App with the same mobile number registered with Aadhaar and those using a different mobile number.
Where additional verification is necessary, an OTP may be sent to the mobile number registered with Aadhaar. The Aadhaar App’s current guidance describes this OTP step before continuing with the address update in applicable cases.
Do not share an Aadhaar OTP, app PIN or other authentication credential with an agent, unknown caller or website claiming that it can speed up the update.
Use UIDAI’s official website, MyAadhaar portal, Aadhaar App or an authorised Aadhaar centre when dealing with your Aadhaar information.
Can You Do the HoF Address Update Without Visiting an Aadhaar Centre?
UIDAI says eligible Aadhaar holders can use the family-member-based address update facility through MyAadhaar or the Aadhaar App. This makes it possible to complete qualifying address-update requests without relying on the standard document route at an enrolment centre.
However, this does not mean every Aadhaar-related change is available through the same online process.
For example, some demographic or biometric changes may still require an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre. Always check the service currently offered for the specific detail you need to change rather than assuming that an online address-update method applies to every Aadhaar correction.
How Long Does an Aadhaar Address Update Take?
UIDAI states that normally 90% of Aadhaar update requests are completed within 30 days. That is a service indication rather than a guarantee that every request will take exactly 30 days. Some requests may be completed sooner, while others may require additional verification.
Keep your SRN or other acknowledgement information until the update is successfully completed. It can be useful when checking the request or contacting UIDAI.
Avoid articles promising that an Aadhaar address will always be updated in a fixed number of hours or days. UIDAI’s own guidance allows for processing and validation.
What Should You Do If the Update Is Pending for More Than 30 Days?
If an Aadhaar update remains pending for more than 30 days, UIDAI says you can file a complaint using your EID, URN or SRN through the grievance facility on MyAadhaar.
UIDAI also lists its 1947 helpline and official support channel as ways to seek assistance regarding a delayed request.
Before raising a complaint, check that the Head of Family actually approved the family-member request. A request waiting for HoF consent is different from one that has been fully submitted and is awaiting UIDAI processing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is entering a relative’s Aadhaar number without confirming that they are willing and able to approve the request. Talk to the family member before starting.
Another is entering the new address carelessly. Check spelling, house number, locality, district, PIN code and the local-language preview before submitting. Correcting another error later means going through another update process.
You should also save the acknowledgement instead of closing the app immediately after payment. The SRN is useful for tracking and for resolving problems.
Most importantly, do not use the HoF facility to claim an address where you do not actually reside. The purpose of the system is to help genuine family members at the same address when the applicant lacks appropriate address proof in their own name.
HoF Method vs Document-Based Aadhaar Address Update
The best route depends on what evidence you already have.
If you possess an accepted proof-of-address document in your own name, the document-based route is usually the obvious option. UIDAI allows online address updates using supporting documents and currently lists address update among its online Aadhaar services.
If you do not have appropriate address proof in your own name but live with an eligible family member whose Aadhaar contains the address you need, the HoF method may be more practical.
That distinction is important because it gives the reader a decision to make rather than simply presenting one process as suitable for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my spouse’s Aadhaar to update my address?
A spouse can fall within the eligible Head of Family relationships specified for HoF-based address updates, subject to UIDAI’s requirements and verification.
Can a sibling act as Head of Family?
UIDAI’s 2026 regulations include siblings among the relationships that may be applicable for HoF-based address update, provided the other eligibility conditions are satisfied.
Do I need my own proof of address for the HoF method?
The family-member-based facility is specifically intended to help Aadhaar holders who do not have supporting proof of address in their own name and who reside at the same address as an eligible family member. Follow the current UIDAI workflow for any relationship or supporting information requested during submission.
Does paying the fee guarantee that my address will change?
No. UIDAI states that submission of an update request does not guarantee that the demographic information will be updated. Requests remain subject to verification and validation.
Will my Aadhaar number change after an address update?
No. UIDAI states that your Aadhaar number remains the same after an update.
Final Takeaway
If you have moved to an address shared with an eligible family member but do not have suitable address proof in your own name, the Head of Family Aadhaar address-update method can provide a practical alternative to the normal document-based process.
The most important points are simple: make sure you genuinely live at the same address, choose an eligible family member, enter the details accurately, complete the authentication and payment process, keep the SRN, and ensure the Head of Family approves the request.
Because Aadhaar procedures, fees and app features can change, always verify the final steps on UIDAI’s official website, MyAadhaar portal or Aadhaar App before submitting sensitive personal information.
Source note: This guide was checked against UIDAI information and Aadhaar update regulations available on 18 September 2026. It should be updated if UIDAI changes its fees, eligible relationships or online address-update process.
For this type of India How-To article, you should include direct official links such as:
- UIDAI official website: UIDAI Official Website
- MyAadhaar portal: MyAadhaar Portal
- Aadhaar update information: Aadhaar Update Services
- UIDAI help/support: UIDAI Help Centre
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