If you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), you may leave the United States multiple times and reenter, if you do not intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more.

If you intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more, you must apply for a re-entry permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) prior to leaving the United States. A re-entry permit allows a lawful permanent resident or conditional permanent resident to apply for admission to the United States upon returning from abroad during the permit’s validity without the need to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate. Re-entry permits are generally valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.Therefore, if you are outside of the United States longer than the date the permit was issued, you may be denied entry into the United States.

Date Published

3/16/2022 12:48 PM

What is Aadhaar
Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the UIDAI (“Authority”) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enroll to obtain an Aadhaar number. A person willing to enroll has to provide minimal demographic and biometric information during the enrolment process which is totally free of cost. An individual needs to enroll for Aadhaar only once and after de-duplication, only one Aadhaar shall be generated, as the uniqueness is achieved through the process of demographic and biometric de-duplication.

Demographic information

Name, Date of Birth (verified) or Age (declared), Gender, Address, Mobile Number (optional), and Email ID (optional), in case of Introducer-based enrolment- Introducer name and Introducer’s Aadhaar number, in case of Head of Family-based enrolment- Name of Head of Family, Relationship and Head of Family’s Aadhaar number; in case of enrolment of a child- Enrolment ID or Aadhaar number of any one parent, Proof of Relationship (PoR) document
Biometric information

Ten Fingerprints, Two Iris Scans, and Facial Photograph
Aadhaar number is verifiable in an online, cost-effective way. It is unique and robust enough to eliminate duplicates and fake identities and may be used as a basis/primary identifier to roll out several Government welfare schemes and programmes for effective service delivery thereby promoting transparency and good governance. This is the only program of its kind globally, wherein a state-of-the-art digital and online Id is being provided free of cost at such a large scale to people, and has the potential to change the way service delivery functions in the country.

Aadhaar number is devoid of any intelligence and does not profile people based on caste, religion, income, health, and geography. The Aadhaar number is a proof of identity, however, it does not confer any right of citizenship or domicile in respect of an Aadhaar number holder.

Aadhaar is a strategic policy tool for social and financial inclusion, public sector delivery reforms, managing fiscal budgets, increasing convenience, and promote hassle-free people-centric governance. Aadhaar can be used as a permanent Financial Address and facilitates financial inclusion of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society and is, therefore, a tool of distributive justice and equality. The Aadhaar identity platform is one of the key pillars of ‘Digital India’, wherein every resident of the country is provided with a unique identity. The Aadhaar program has already achieved several milestones and is by far the largest biometrics-based identification system in the world.

Aadhaar identity platform with its inherent features of Uniqueness, Authentication, Financial Address, and e-KYC, enables the Government of India to directly reach residents of the country in delivery of various subsidies, benefits and services by using the resident’s Aadhaar number only.

Non-Resident Indians (NRI’s) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI’s) on the question of linking Aadhaar details with Bank Accounts/PAN Cards and or for getting Mobile/Gas connections etc. The government of India once again clarifies:

Aadhaar Card enrollment is presently available to residents in India. OCI Cardholders who stay in India for a long time (over 182 days in twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment) and have an Indian address can also enroll for Aadhaar Card in India. NRIs, although they are citizens of India, are not eligible for Aadhaar Card if they have not stayed for more than 182 days or more 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.

“As per Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961, every person who is eligible to obtain Aadhaar number shall, on or after the 1st day of July 2017, quote Aadhaar number— (i) in the application form for allotment of permanent account number; (ii) in the return of income. The above provisions apply to persons who are eligible to get Aadhaar. Under section 3 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, only a resident is entitled to get Aadhaar. Therefore, the provisions of Section 139AA quoted above regarding linking of Aadhaar to PAN or the requirement of quoting the Aadhaar number in the return shall not apply to a non-resident, who is not eligible to get Aadhaar.”
Can an NRI apply for Aadhaar?keyboard_arrow_up

1. Can an NRI apply for Aadhaar?

YES. An NRI (whether minor or adult) with a valid Indian Passport can apply for Aadhaar from any Aadhaar Kendra.

2. Can my passport be used for the Aadhaar update of my spouse?

If your passport has the name of your spouse, then it can be used as Proof of Address for them.

3. I am an NRI and I have an Aadhaar. Can my spouse be enrolled based on my Aadhaar & passport?

1. If a spouse is NRI – a valid Indian passport of the applicant is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI).
2. If your spouse is an Indian resident (not NRI) – any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) including your Passport (having the name of your spouse) can be used for enrolment under Head of Family (HoF).

4. What is the process for Aadhaar enrolment for children of NRIs?
Pls refer to the below:

The child is below 5 years of age:

One of the parents/guardians have to authenticate on behalf of the child and also give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
If the child is an NRI – a valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
If the child is an Indian resident (not NRI) – any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) such as Birth Certificate, along with the Aadhaar of the parent/ guardian, can be used for enrolment.
The child is between 5 to 18 years of age:

One of the parents/guardians has to give consent for the enrolment of the minor by signing the enrolment form.
If the minor is an NRI – a valid Indian passport of the child is mandatory as Proof of Identity (PoI)
If the minor is an Indian resident (not NRI) –
No document in the name of the minor: any valid Proof of Relationship document (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf) such as Birth certificate can be used for enrolment under Head of Family.
Minor has a document: use a valid Proof of Identity (PoI) and Proof of Address (PoA) document (like a School ID card) in the child’s name for enrolment (refer: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf).

5. Can I give an International mobile number in my Aadhaar details?keyboard_arrow_up

Currently, we do not support international/ non-Indian mobile numbers.

6. The address on my passport is not updated. I want to give my present address for my Aadhaar application. Is that possible?keyboard_arrow_up
YES. A valid Indian Passport is mandatory as a Proof of Identity (PoI) for NRI applicants. You may choose to give any other Indian Address with a valid supporting Proof of Address (PoA) as per the list of documents acceptable by UIDAI: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf

7. What is the process for NRI enrolment?keyboard_arrow_up
The process is:

Visit any Aadhaar Kendra of your convenience.
Carry a valid Indian Passport with you
Fill in details in the enrolment form
Giving Email ID is mandatory for NRI
The declaration for NRI enrolment is slightly different. Read and sign the same in your enrolment form
Ask the operator to enroll you as NRI
Give your Passport as Proof of Identity
You may choose to use your Passport itself as Proof of Address and Date of Birth proof or give some other valid document/s for this (As per https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf)
Complete the biometric capture process
Check all details on screen (in English and local language) before you allow the operator to submit
Collect the acknowledgment slip/ enrolment slip that has your 14-digit Enrolment ID and Date & Time Stamp. You can check the status of your Aadhaar from: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/check-aadhaar

• Make sure you are up to datewith your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel internationally.
• You must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to travel to the United States by plane if you are a non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa). Only limited exceptions apply.
• You are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before you travel to the United States by air.
• Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is recommended in indoor areas of public transportation (including airplanes) and indoors in U.S. transportation hubs (including airports).
• Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel internationally. Getting vaccinated is still the best way to protect yourself from severe disease and slow the spread of COVID-19. People who are not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines should follow additional recommendations and after travel.If you are a non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant and not fully vaccinated, you will not be allowed to board a flight to the United States. Only limited exceptions apply to the requirement to show proof of vaccination. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement.
  Are You Fully Vaccinated for Travel to the United States?

  You are considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose vaccine
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart*

  If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT considered fully vaccinated to travel to the United States. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement.

  A person who has received only one dose of an accepted 2-dose series and has recovered from COVID-19 does not meet this definition, and therefore is NOT considered fully vaccinated for travel to the United States.

  *CDC has not recommended the use of mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccine primary series. However, such strategies are increasingly common in many countries outside of the United States. Therefore, for the purpose of interpreting vaccination records for travel to the United States, CDC will accept combinations of accepted COVID-19 vaccines.

US VISA WAIVER PROGRAM COUNTRIES

1. Ireland
2. United Kingdom
3. Japan
4. Singapore
5. Germany
6. Italy
7. Norway
8. Portugal
9. Malta
10. Australia
11. France
12. Chile
13. Spain
14. Slovakia
15. Hungary
16. Switzerland
17. Belgium
18. New Zealand
19. Denmark
20. Czech Republic
21. Lithuania
22. Sweden
23. Latvia
24. Andorra
25. Monaco
26. South Korea
27. Austria
28. Liechtenstein
29. Finland
30. Taiwan
31. Brunei
32. Luxembourg
33. Estonia
34. Greece
35. Slovenia
36. San Marino
37. Netherlands
38. Iceland
39. Poland

Suppose you in the company of your family or friends want to visit the United States of America for a vacation and are under a visa waiver program (VWP) country. In that case, you need to submit an esta group application and process it for approval before making further plans. What is ESTA application? ESTA application and approval allows residents of countries under the visa waiver program to visit the United States of America without a visa for as long as they need to.

To apply for esta as a group, you need to visit their online platform and fill the appropriate form for family esta. The esta application form for a group or family doesn’t require all the group members. You can represent your family if you have all their details, including name, date of birth, home address, and passport information. After completing the application form for your group, the next step is to wait for approval. This type of group application is very suitable for traveling to the U.S.A with your kids as one family.

Why your Family Should Apply for Group ESTA

When going for a vacation as a group or family, there is a lot to plan for and not enough time. Besides, you need to take extra care to ensure that you do not forget anything. And this is why applying for esta as a group is a very nice idea. In addition to saving time, it also has many benefits for your family or group. Because only one person is tasked with the group application for family esta, it will be hard to forget. Suppose you or any member of your family tasked with applying forgets to submit a group application for esta. In that case, your group or family will not be allowed to visit the United States of America.

Another reason why group application for esta is encouraged is so that you and your family or group can be granted permission at the same time. If you and your group or family are granted permission simultaneously, you all have the same number of days to spend in the U.S A. there, which is 90. This means you can all spend your holiday together as a group. Time is an important factor when traveling or makes travel arrangements. To save time traveling with your family as a group, you shouldn’t apply for esta individually. This may not only cause permission to be granted at different times, but you or any member of the family may likely forget. Applying for esta by filling the group application form will save you time since you can choose one person to do it for the entire group or family.

Another benefit of applying for esta as a group for you and your family is that it makes travel arrangements easier. Since only one person is needed to complete the group application esta form for the entire family, the other members of your group or family can settle one or two important things for the journey. If you want to travel with your family to the United States of America, you need to complete a group application esta form. This is to enable you and your family to travel together at the same time.

s Permission Granted or Rejected for All Group Members?

After completing the esta family application form, the next step is to wait for permission to be granted or denied. To know if you and your family have been granted permission or not, you need to check esta status 72 hours after you have submitted your application. You must know that only the person who completed the esta family application firm will receive all the family members or group results. However, permission or rejection is not given as a group. This means some people may be granted permission in your group while others might reject others.

If you or any of your family members have been denied permission, you need to wait until after ten days have elapsed before applying for esta again. When do I need VISA? If you are asking this question, then the answer is right here. You need a visa if your esta application has been rejected for strong reasons. This means you can’t join the rest of your family members who have been granted permission to visit the United States of America. Fortunately, you can apply for a visa, and if you are given one, you can join them.

Can Children Apply for ESTA?

Who needs ESTA? Anyone who wants to travel to the United States of America, whether for vacation or tourism, must obtain permission. If you’re a country citizen under the visa waiver program (VWP), you need to apply for esta. If permission is granted, you can visit the U.S.A without a visa. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa to visit the United States of America if you are not from a country under the visa waiver program.  This also applies to children; a child must have a visa before visiting the U.S.A. if the child is not from a visa waiver program country. However, suppose the child is a citizen of a country that belongs to the visa waiver program. In that case, he or she must apply for esta, and the permission must be granted before that child can visit the United States of America. However, you must note that infants are also included and required to apply for esta.

Even though a child or infant must have permission before visiting the U.S.A, an adult can help the child complete the application process. If the child is going with one of his or her parents, then the other absent parent must grant permission also. Where a relative or grandparent is the person traveling with the child, then both parents must grant permission. This is done to reduce the kidnapping cases or a situation where a parent or relative absconds with a child. In other words, children or infants are required to have permission. An adult is to apply for an esta on their behalf in this case. If the child is not traveling with his or her parents, then signed permission is needed from both parents in addition to the permission granted by the esta.