Aadhaar Card Is Not Proof of Family Relationship, Says UP Government Amid MEA’s Passport Clarification
A day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that an Indian passport is a travel document and not conclusive proof of citizenship, the Uttar Pradesh Registration Department has issued a circular stating that an Aadhaar card is only proof of identity and address, not proof of family relationships.
A day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that an Indian passport is a travel document and not conclusive proof of citizenship, the Uttar Pradesh Registration Department has issued a circular stating that an Aadhaar card is only proof of identity and address, not proof of family relationships.
In an official circular dated June 19, 2026, the Inspector General of Registration, Uttar Pradesh, directed all Assistant Inspectors General of Registration to ensure that Aadhaar is used only as an identity and address proof in government schemes, services and registration-related proceedings.
Aadhaar Card Is Not Proof of Family Relationship, Says UP Government
कल विदेश मंत्रालय ने कहा कि पासपोर्ट सिर्फ ट्रेवल डॉक्यूमेंट है, नागरिकता का कागज नहीं।
अब UP सरकार के निबंधन विभाग ने कहा है कि आधार कार्ड सिर्फ पहचान प्रमाण पत्र है, संबंध प्रमाण पत्र नहीं।
मतलब कार्ड पर लिखे पिता, पति या अन्य अभिभावक के नाम को संबंध का अंतिम/वैधानिक प्रमाण… pic.twitter.com/lFrhnFpfk2
— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) June 25, 2026
Aadhaar Not Proof of Relationship
The circular, issued with reference to communications from the state government and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), reiterates that the names of a father, husband, guardian or other relatives printed on an Aadhaar card are only informational in nature. ‘Passport Has Never Been Proof of Citizenship’: Govt Clarifies Stand, Cites Passports Act and Bombay High Court Rulings.
It states that such details cannot be treated as the final or legal proof of a family relationship.
The department has instructed officials not to rely solely on Aadhaar while verifying family relationships in applications, registration work or other administrative matters. Which Documents Actually Prove Indian Citizenship Now That Passports Don’t?
Other Documents Must Be Used
According to the circular, wherever verification of a family relationship is required, authorities should examine other valid records such as birth certificates, family register extracts, succession records, certificates issued by a competent court or authority, or any other legally accepted documents.
The order also clarifies that entries such as "S/o" (Son of), "D/o" (Daughter of), "W/o" (Wife of) and "C/o" (Care of) on an Aadhaar card should be treated only as informational details and not as legal evidence of a relationship.
Follows MEA's Passport Clarification
The Uttar Pradesh government's clarification comes a day after the Ministry of External Affairs stated that while an Indian passport is issued only to Indian citizens and serves as strong evidence of citizenship, it is primarily a travel document and is not conclusive legal proof of citizenship.
The latest circular similarly draws a distinction between the purpose of Aadhaar and the legal documents required to establish family relationships, directing officials to follow existing rules and rely on appropriate documentary evidence wherever relationship verification is necessary.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2026 12:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
