How to Make Ayushman Card Online in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

You can make an Ayushman card online for free through the official NHA Beneficiary Portal (beneficiary.nha.gov.in) or the Ayushman App. Log in with your mobile number and OTP, check that your name is on the PM-JAY beneficiary list, complete Aadhaar e-KYC, and once the status shows approved, click "Download Card" to get your card as a PDF. Citizens aged 70 and above can enrol for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card the same way, regardless of income, using an Aadhaar card. The card is free everywhere; no one is authorised to charge a fee for it.

Before You Start: Can You Actually Get an Ayushman Card?

Most guides skip this step, and it is where most people get stuck. You don't simply "apply" for an Ayushman card. The card is issued to people who are already identified as eligible under PM-JAY, so the first step is checking whether you are.

Two routes to eligibility:

• Family on the PM-JAY beneficiary list. The list is based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 deprivation and occupational criteria, which covers roughly the bottom 40% of the population. If your name appears when you search, you can complete e-KYC and download the card.
• Age 70 or above. All senior citizens aged 70+ are eligible for coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year regardless of income, through the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card. This is a separate card from the standard Ayushman card.

If you search and see "No beneficiary found," it means that Aadhaar isn't in the PM-JAY database. That doesn't always mean you are ineligible (see Troubleshooting below), but it does mean you can't generate the card online until the record is resolved. You can Check your Ayushman Bharat eligibility with AbhaCare's support team if you're unsure where to start.

Documents You'll Need

• Aadhaar card (mandatory for Aadhaar e-KYC, and for all Vay Vandana applicants)
• Mobile number that can receive an OTP. If the number isn't linked to Aadhaar, the Ayushman App offers Face Authentication or fingerprint verification as alternatives.
• Ration card or family ID, if your family is searched by those details
• Proof of age (70+ applicants): Aadhaar usually covers this

Keep these handy before you begin; the whole process usually takes only a few minutes once your identity is verified.

Method 1: Make Your Ayushman Card on the NHA Beneficiary Portal

Step 1: Open the official portal. Go to beneficiary.nha.gov.in. Check that the address is exactly this. Look-alike sites exist, and the real portal never asks for payment.

Step 2: Log in as a Beneficiary. Select "Beneficiary" as the login type, enter your mobile number, and verify the OTP.

Step 3: Search for your family. Search by Aadhaar number, ration card, family ID or PM-JAY ID, and select your state (and scheme, where asked).

Step 4: Check the e-KYC status against each name. The status will read pending, under approval, or approved. If the member's Aadhaar isn't yet linked, the status shows as "unidentified."

Step 5: Complete Aadhaar e-KYC. Click the card icon against the member's name and follow the Aadhaar verification steps (OTP, or biometric/face authentication where needed).

Step 6: Wait for approval. Approval is often quick. If you use the Ayushman App, the official FAQ suggests logging in again 15 to 20 minutes after successful e-KYC.

Step 7: Download the card. Once approved, click Download Card beside the beneficiary's name to save the PDF.

Method 2: Make Your Ayushman Card on the Ayushman App

The Ayushman App is an Android app launched by the National Health Authority so that people can check eligibility, complete e-KYC and download their card on their own phone.

• Install the Ayushman App from the Google Play Store. Check that the developer is the National Health Authority.
• Open it, select Beneficiary, and log in with your mobile number and OTP.
• Check your eligibility. "No beneficiary found" means the Aadhaar isn't in the PM-JAY database.
• Tap the family member's name and complete e-KYC (OTP, Face Auth or fingerprint).
• After approval, return to the family list and tap Download Ayushman Card against the name.

Other Official Ways to Get the Card

• UMANG app: search for "PMJAY" or "Ayushman Bharat" inside the app and follow the prompts.
• ABHA integration: the Ayushman card can be linked with your ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) for digital health records.
• Common Service Centres (CSCs): the offline route if you can't use the online process.
• Empanelled hospitals: most have an Ayushman Mitra help desk that can verify eligibility and help generate the card.

Delhi: How Residents Get an Ayushman Card in 2026

Delhi joined PM-JAY in 2025 and made it more generous than the national scheme: ₹5 lakh from the Centre plus a ₹5 lakh Delhi Government top-up, for ₹10 lakh per eligible family per year.

For senior citizens (70+) in Delhi:

• Who: every Delhi resident aged 70 or above with an Aadhaar card, regardless of income
• Online: through the Ayushman portal or app (steps above)
• Offline: at community health centres, government dispensaries and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) offices. The Delhi Government also ran mobile registration vans across all 70 assembly constituencies, where seniors need only their Aadhaar and mobile phone.
• Card: the Vay Vandana card carries the beneficiary's health records, medication history and emergency details

For other Delhi families: check eligibility on the beneficiary portal first. Confirm the current Delhi eligibility rules with the Delhi State Health Agency or the PM-JAY helpline before assuming you qualify, since criteria for non-senior families are decided by the Delhi Government and may be updated.

Treatment is portable: a Delhi cardholder can get cashless treatment at any empanelled hospital in India, not just in Delhi.

Related reading: Ayushman Bharat Eligibility: Who Gets ₹5 Lakh Free? · Ayushman Card Treatment List 2026 · Is the Ayushman Card Valid for Maternity Care in Delhi?

Troubleshooting Common Problems

"No beneficiary found." The Aadhaar isn't in the PM-JAY database. Try searching by ration card or family ID instead, confirm you selected the right state, and if you are 70+, use the Vay Vandana enrolment option. If you are still not found, visit an empanelled hospital's Ayushman help desk or a CSC.

e-KYC keeps failing. Common causes are a mobile number not linked to Aadhaar, or fingerprint mismatch. In the Ayushman App, use Face Authentication as an alternative. For senior citizens or anyone with worn fingerprints, face authentication or a CSC visit usually helps.

Name or age mismatch. Spelling differences between the Aadhaar record and the scheme record can block verification. Correct the Aadhaar record first, then retry.

Card shows "pending" or "under approval." Wait a short while and log in again. If it stays pending for long, contact the PM-JAY helpline or the state health agency.

Someone is asking for money. Registration, e-KYC and card download are free on the official portal, the app and at CSCs. Do not pay "agents" for a card.

How to Use Your Ayushman Card at a Hospital

• Carry the card (PDF or printout) and your Aadhaar or other photo ID.
• Go to the Ayushman help desk at an empanelled hospital.
• The hospital verifies you and raises pre-authorisation for the planned treatment.
• Covered treatment is cashless: the hospital claims payment from the scheme.

Pre-existing conditions are covered from day one, and cover includes 3 days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days of post-hospitalisation expenses. Coverage depends on the procedure being in the PM-JAY package list and the hospital being empanelled for it, so confirm both before admission.

How AbhaCare Helps

AbhaCare is not the government scheme administrator and can't issue the card for you. What we can do:

• Help you check whether a hospital is empanelled under PM-JAY
• Guide you through the verification process before admission
• Connect you with partner hospitals for cashless treatment