Aadhaar's VID is a security measure for protecting privacy and Aadhaar numbers
The Aadhaar-issuing authority UIDAI today said it has made virtual ID or VID system operational with its authentication user agencies, which have migrated to VID and UID token. The Virtual ID is a 16-digit random number mapped with the Aadhaar number.
The Unique Identification Authority of India has also classified its user agencies as "global" and "local" for providing authentication facility for VID through UID token and limited know-your-customer process.
Telecom companies and e-sign provider user agencies not using API version 2.5 and e-KYC API 2.5 starting July 1 will be charged 20 paise for every transaction, a statement said.
However, as an incentive to speed up the migration process to VID (via API 2.5), the UIDAI has decided that in case a user agency has fully migrated to APIs 2.5 by July 31, then the authentication transaction charges imposed for the period July 1-31 will be waived off.
Also, for all the other authenticated user agencies or AUAs including banks, it has been decided that they will migrate to VID and UID token using auth API 2.5 and e-KYC API 2.5 by August 31.
In case of any failure, the UIDAI will be free to take actions under the Aadhaar Act including the imposition of financial disincentives and termination of license keys.
"It has been observed that a number of AUAs have already migrated to production environment using APIs 2.5 for VID implementation and most of the remaining AUAs have tested VID and UID Token in pre-production environment APIs 2.5. We are requesting with these agencies to fully migrate to production environment by the stipulated date," said Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO, UIDAI.
He said the VID is a critical security measure for protecting residents' privacy and their Aadhaar numbers. With the introduction of Virtual ID, an Aadhaar holder will have an option of not sharing his or her Aadhaar number and can generate a Virtual ID to share with AUAs to perform Aadhaar-based authentication.