Offline Aadhaar eKYC — UIDAI Certified

Offline Aadhaar eKYC India: UIDAI XML Verification Guide & API (2026)

Verify customers using UIDAI's digitally-signed Aadhaar XML — no Aadhaar number shared, no real-time UIDAI OTP needed. RBI-compliant CDD in under 1 second at ₹10/check.

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eKYCNow Team — Message Central

Updated March 2026 · 12 min read

Offline Aadhaar eKYC

UIDAI XML

Aadhaar KYC

🕜 Quick Answer
What is Offline Aadhaar eKYC?
Offline Aadhaar eKYC uses a digitally-signed Aadhaar XML file downloaded from UIDAI's portal — the customer's Aadhaar number is never shared with the entity. eKYCNow validates the UIDAI signature and extracts structured identity data in under 1 second at ₹10/check. RBI-compliant standard CDD, same ₹1L/year cap as OTP eKYC.

What Is Offline Aadhaar eKYC?

Offline Aadhaar eKYC is a privacy-first digital KYC method introduced by UIDAI that lets individuals share their Aadhaar-verified identity data without revealing their Aadhaar number. The customer downloads a digitally signed XML file from UIDAI's portal, which your system then verifies using UIDAI's public certificate.

Unlike OTP-based eKYC, which requires a live connection to UIDAI's authentication server, Offline eKYC is asynchronous — the XML can be downloaded in advance and submitted later. This makes it useful for assisted onboarding, kiosk-based verification, or situations where real-time UIDAI OTP is impractical.

✅ Legal Basis

Offline Aadhaar eKYC is governed by the Aadhaar (Sharing of Information) Regulations, 2016 and UIDAI's Offline eKYC Guidelines. It is explicitly recognised by RBI under the KYC Master Direction (amended August 2025) as a valid Customer Due Diligence method for regulated entities.

What the Aadhaar XML Contains

The UIDAI Offline eKYC XML (VID-based) contains the following fields, all digitally signed with UIDAI's RSA-2048 certificate:

Field	What's included	Privacy note
Name	Full name as per Aadhaar	Full value
Date of birth	DD/MM/YYYY or year only (if masked)	Full value
Gender	M / F / T	Full value
Address	House, street, locality, district, state, PIN	Full value
Mobile number	Hashed — last 4 digits visible only	Partially masked
Email	Hashed — not directly readable	Hashed
Photograph	JPEG, AES-256 encrypted using customer passcode	Passcode-protected
Aadhaar number	Not included — Virtual ID (VID) used instead	Fully private
UIDAI signature	RSA-2048 digital signature over all fields	Tamper-evident

How Offline Aadhaar eKYC Works

A typical eKYC onboarding flow using eKYCNow's API takes under 90 seconds end-to-end:

Customer downloads XML

Customer visits UIDAI's Offline eKYC portal (resident.uidai.gov.in), logs in with Aadhaar + OTP, and downloads their XML. Sets a passcode to encrypt the photo.

Customer shares XML

Customer uploads the XML file (and provides the passcode) to your onboarding form — via mobile, web, or agent-assisted kiosk.

API call to eKYCNow

Your backend sends the XML + passcode to eKYCNow's Offline eKYC endpoint.

Signature validation

eKYCNow validates the UIDAI digital signature to confirm the XML is authentic and unmodified.

Data extraction

Name, DOB, address, gender, photo extracted and returned as structured JSON.

Result delivered

Full identity data returned in under 1 second. Optionally run PAN cross-check + AML screening in the same call.

OTP eKYC vs Offline Aadhaar eKYC

Factor	OTP Aadhaar eKYC	Offline Aadhaar eKYC
UIDAI connection needed?	Yes — real-time OTP auth	No — XML validated offline
Customer mobile required?	Yes — must be UIDAI-registered	No — any mobile can download XML
Aadhaar number shared?	With UIDAI (not entity)	Never — VID used only
Photo included?	Yes (via UIDAI response)	Yes (encrypted in XML)
RBI classification	Non-face-to-face	Non-face-to-face
Transaction cap	₹1L/year	₹1L/year
Best for	Mobile-first onboarding	Assisted/kiosk, privacy-sensitive
eKYCNow price	₹10/check	₹10/check

💡

Pro tip: For maximum coverage, eKYCNow recommends offering both OTP and Offline Aadhaar eKYC at onboarding — and using Video KYC (V-CIP) as the upgrade path for customers needing accounts above ₹1L/year. This maximises approval rate while maintaining full RBI compliance.

When to Use Offline Aadhaar eKYC

🏪

Agent-assisted onboarding

Business correspondent or agent helps customer download XML in advance at a kiosk or shop.

📵

Non-UIDAI mobile

Customer's mobile isn't registered with UIDAI — OTP eKYC unavailable, offline XML works.

🔒

Privacy-sensitive products

BFSI products where customers prefer not to trigger real-time UIDAI OTPs.

📋

Document archive

Regulated entities that want to store UIDAI-certified identity documents for future audits.

Offline Aadhaar eKYC API

⚙️

POST /v1/aadhaar/offline-verify — send xml_file (base64) + passcode. Response: name, dob, gender, address, photo_url, signature_valid (bool), xml_age_days, vid. Full API reference: India API docs →

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UIDAI signature validation, photo extraction, structured JSON — one API call. No setup fee. Fully RBI-compliant.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Offline Aadhaar eKYC?

Offline Aadhaar eKYC is a method where the customer downloads a digitally signed Aadhaar XML file from UIDAI's Offline eKYC portal — without sharing their actual Aadhaar number with the regulated entity. The XML contains name, DOB, address, and a face photograph, all signed with UIDAI's digital certificate. Unlike OTP eKYC, it doesn't require an OTP to UIDAI at the time of verification. Same ₹1L/year RBI transaction cap applies.

What is the difference between OTP and Offline Aadhaar eKYC?

OTP Aadhaar eKYC sends an OTP to the customer's UIDAI-registered mobile and authenticates in real-time with UIDAI's servers. Offline Aadhaar eKYC uses an XML file the customer downloads themselves — no real-time UIDAI OTP at the entity's end. Offline XML has a passcode (set by the customer) for decryption. Both have the same ₹1L/year cap. Offline is preferred when: the customer's mobile isn't registered with UIDAI, or the entity prefers not to trigger UIDAI OTP flows. See full comparison →

Is Offline Aadhaar eKYC legally valid in India?

Yes. Offline Aadhaar eKYC is explicitly recognised by UIDAI under the Aadhaar (Sharing of Information) Regulations, 2016 and by RBI as a valid CDD method under the KYC Master Direction (amended August 2025). The digitally signed XML carries the same legal weight as Aadhaar OTP verification. See the full RBI compliance guide →

What data does the Aadhaar XML contain?

The Offline Aadhaar XML (VID-based) contains: Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Address (full breakdown: house, street, locality, district, state, pin), Mobile number (hashed — last 4 digits only visible), Email (hashed), and a JPEG photograph of the Aadhaar holder. The Aadhaar number itself is not included — only a Virtual ID (VID). All fields are signed with UIDAI's RSA-2048 certificate.

How do I verify an Aadhaar XML file?

To verify an Offline Aadhaar XML: (1) Parse the XML structure; (2) Validate UIDAI's digital signature using UIDAI's public certificate; (3) Decrypt the photo using the passcode (AES-256); (4) Check the XML timestamp (validity window: typically 3 days from download). eKYCNow handles all of this via a single API call — send the XML + passcode, receive structured identity data + signature validation result. API docs →

Does Offline Aadhaar eKYC have a transaction cap?

Yes. Like OTP-based Aadhaar eKYC, Offline Aadhaar eKYC is classified as non-face-to-face by RBI and carries a ₹1 lakh/year aggregate credit cap. To remove this cap, you need Video KYC (V-CIP), which is face-to-face equivalent under RBI Para 19.

How much does Offline Aadhaar eKYC cost?

eKYCNow charges ₹10 per verification for Offline Aadhaar eKYC — no setup fee, no volume minimums. Includes XML parsing, UIDAI signature validation, photo extraction, and structured data response. See full pricing →