What documents prove Indian citizenship? Aadhar card, birth certificate, pan card, or what? This blog covers the top 10 important documents in India that every Indian must have to prove he is an Indian, and to work, study, or avail of the policies introduced by the Indian Government.
You need documents to apply for a job, especially a government job, without these documents you cannot open a bank account, get admission to school or college, do business, get married or shift to a foreign country.
List of Top 10 Important Documents in India
1. Ration Card
A ration card is a document issued by the state government to Indian nationals eligible to buy subsidised food grains, wheat, sugar, or kerosene from the Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
When a new member comes into Indian families, like a baby, his name must be added to the member details of the Ration card. It is a kind of custom to add the name of a family member, new or old, to the ration card to buy his part of subsidised food.
A bonafide Indian citizen above 18 can apply for a ration card. Minors and children who are below 18 names are included in their family ration card.
Read More: What is Bonafide Certificate
2. Birth Certificate
A birth certificate is a document issued by the hospital on the day a child is born. This document confirms you were born on this date, day, time, hospital, and country. Your birth certificate is your first identity proof before you turn 18.
A birth certificate is one of the important documents in India for a child’s admission to the school.
Here are the five reasons why you need your birth certificate.
- Registering for School
- For a Driving Licence
- For Getting Married
- For a Government Job
- For Travelling Anywhere Outside of the Country
An attested birth certificate is mandatory for use in a foreign country. Superb Enterprise Private Limited (SEPL) is an officially approved agency by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that helps applicants in the birth certificate attestation procedure.
A newborn baby’s birth certificate is automatically filed by the hospital and legalised with an affidavit signed by the parents.
3. Aadhaar Card
Aadhaar Card is a 12-digit unique identification number mandatory for Indians to have for legal and tax compliance in India. Here are the reasons you need an Aadhaar Card in India.
- Take the benefits like food grain under the Public Distribution System.
- You need an Aadhaar card to open a bank account and to be eligible to apply for the schemes introduced by your bank and Government.
- The Aadhaar card is one of the important documents every Indian citizen needs so the Government can collect your data from all over the world.
- You need an Aadhaar card to buy mutual funds or shares and pay an income tax.
Who Issues Aadhaar Cards in India?
The UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) is the department responsible for issuing your Aadhaar card based on your iris scan or fingerprints.
List of the Documents Required for an Aadhaar Card
- Passport
- PAN card
- Ration or PDS Photo card
- Voter Identification card
- Driving licence
4. Educational Documents
Educational certificates are something everyone needs to study and prove you have gained knowledge in a particular subject or area. Educational certificates also prove that you have completed your education at this point.
List of Educational Documents:
- 10th & 12th Certificates
- Mark Sheets
- BA Degree
- MS Certificate
- MD Certificate
- MBBS Certificate
- Degree Certificate
- Nursing Certificate
- Diploma Certificate
- Pharmacy Certificate
- PG Degree Certificate
- Engineering Certificate
Read This – What is a Matriculation Certificate
When Do You Need Educational Documents?
- School certificates for graduation
- Graduation certificate for post-graduation and Ph.D.
- All educational certificates to get a job in India or abroad
- Apply for a study loan
5. PAN Card
PAN is an abbreviation for Permanent Account Number. This card is issued by the Income Tax Department to residents of India who are above 18 years.
The same department provides PAN cards to Indian nationals living in a foreign country and foreigners staying in India for more than one hundred eighty-two days during a financial year.
Importance of a PAN Card:
- Filing Income Tax Return
- Applying for a loan from banks
- Getting a loan from financial institutions
- Opening a bank account bank
Documents Required to Apply for a PAN Card:
- Identity Proof – Aadhaar number/ Driving Licence/ Voter ID
- Address Proof – Passport/ Photo Ration Card
6. Passport
A passport is one of the important documents you need to travel to foreign countries. This document is a license that proves your identity and nationality in a foreign country.
Do you know that Indian passport holders have the power to enter 60 foreign countries without a visa?
Documents Required to Get a Passport:
- Running bank account’s passbook photo
- A voter ID card
- Aadhaar card
- House electricity bill
- Rent agreement
- Driving licence
- PAN card
- Postpaid mobile bill
- Gas connection proof
- Spouse passport’s first and last pages copies
- Certificate from employer on companies letterhead
- Income tax assessment order copy
- School leaving certificate copy
- Municipal Corporation-issued birth certificate copy
- Policy Bond copy issued by Public Life Insurance
7. Driving Licence
In India, anyone who drives and is above 18 can apply for a driving license. Drivers always carry their driving license while driving their vehicle to use the card in case of a police investigation, accident, etc.
Documents Required to Apply for a Driving Licence in India:
- Age Proof – Birth Certificate/PAN Card/Passport/10th Class Mark Sheet
- Address Proof – Passport/Aadhaar Card/Self-owned house agreement
8. Voter Identity Card (ID)
A voter ID card is an important document in India issued by the Election Commission to Indians above 18. A voter ID card is a document every adult Indian needs to cast a valid vote.
This document provides proof of your address, age, name, date of birth, and photo when you use it at a polling booth.
Voter ID is also known as an Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) that you get from the Election Commission of India.
Why Do You Need a Voter ID Card?
- It is proof that you are an Indian citizen.
- It proves that you are eligible to vote in elections.
- It is helpful for the Government to deal with electoral fraud.
- It is vital to avail of special offers introduced by the Government of India.
Documents Required to Apply for a Voter ID Card:
- Passport size photo
- Address proof – Passport copy/Gas bill/ Water Bill/ Ration Card/Bank Passbook/Aadhaar Card
- Copy of proof of age – 10th Class Certificate/Birth Certificate/Aadhaar Card/Passport copy/Kisan Card
- Identity proof – Ration Card/Passport Copy/SSLC Certificate/Student ID Card/Aadhaar Card
9. Marriage Certificate
A marriage certificate is a proof that two individuals are officially married. This certificate is one of the important documents issued by the Registrar of Marriage in India.
Documents Required to Get a Marriage Certificate:
- Marriage certificate application form duly filled/signed by both spouses
- Couples age proofs
- Passport-sized photos
- One marriage photo
- Couple Aadhaar cards
- Address proof
- Marriage Invitation
- Divorce certificates or affidavits for Divorcees
- Separate Marriage Affidavits by the husband and wife
- Death certificate (for widows/widowers)
Along with these documents, submit Rs.100 fees or Rs.150 to the cashier of the marriage registered under the Hindu Marriage Act and Special Marriage Act, respectively.
Read More: Procedure of Marriage Certificate Attestation
10. Bank Passbook
Your bank passport is a document that contains details, like deposits and withdrawals with date, day, and year. Your bank passbook is a legal and top-important document in India that you need to get your pension money when you are eligible.
- Read This – What is a Transfer Certificate
- Read This – What is a Migration Certificate
Conclusion
These are the top 10 important documents every Indian should have to prove their nationality and take advantage of the policies and schemes of the Government of India.
Apart from that your documents need attestation. It’s a verification vital for using a birth certificate, marriage certificate, educational certificate, and driving license in a foreign country.
Superb Enterprise Private Limited (SEPL) is the outsourcing company of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Government of India to assist applicants and the government authorities and embassies in certificate attestation and apostille.
Contact us for fast, reliable, and affordable attestation services.
