NRIs don't need Aadhaar to file income tax returns

Dubai - As per the Aadhaar Act 2016, only a resident individual is entitled to obtain Aadhaar.

Many Indian expatriates in the UAE were worried whether to take an Aadhaar card to save their accounts in India, but as per the clarifications from Indian authorities, NRIs shouldn't be worried about taking an Aadhaar card.
With the Permanent Account Number (PAN) being made mandatory for holding a bank account in India, NRIs were apprehensive about its impact on their money transactions.
It was announced earlier in Indian parliament that it is mandatory to mention Aadhaar card number in every income tax return. This announcement prompted many NRIs to file petitions to Indian missions requesting that they be exempted from this as they do not have Aadhaar card.
Meenakshi J. Goswami, commissioner of income tax (media & technical policy) and central board of direct taxes' official spokesperson, said in a statement that such mandatory quoting of Aadhaar shall apply only to a person who is eligible to obtain an Aadhaar number. As per the Aadhaar Act 2016, only a resident individual is entitled to obtain Aadhaar.
Clarifying on the definition of who a resident is, the statement said:
"Resident is an individual who has resided in India for a period or periods amounting in all to 182 days or more in the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrollment. Accordingly, the requirement to quote Aadhaar as per Section 139AA of the Income tax Act shall not apply to an individual who is not a resident as per the Aadhaar Act 2016."

• India