NRIs to get Aadhaar card without waiting for 180 days: Sitharaman

New Delhi: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) having Indian passports can now get Aadhaar card without waiting for 180 days, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

As of now, the NRIs get Aadhaar card after staying in India for a minimum of 180 days.

"I propose to consider issuing Aadhaar card for NRIs with Indian passports after their arrival in India without waiting for 180 days," Sitharaman told Parliament while presenting the Budget 2019.

According to the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, an NRI who has resided in India for 182 days or more in 12 months and with an Indian address could apply for Aadhaar.

However, as per the Aadhaar Act, NRIs are fully exempt from producing Aadhaar for any verification.

The minister said the government also intended to provide better and more accessible public services to Indians abroad by opening embassies in more countries.

Four embassies were proposed to open this year.

Five embassies opened in Rwanda, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea and Burkina Faso last year.

"To give further impetus to India's growing influence and leadership in the international community, the government decided to open Indian Embassies and High Commissions abroad in countries where India does not have a Resident Diplomatic Mission as yet. In 2018, the government approved opening of 18 new Indian Diplomatic missions in Africa," Sitharaman said.

The government is developing 17 iconic tourism sites into world class tourist destinations and to serve as a model for other tourism sites.