Must-Have Documents You Should Start Arranging When You Turn 18!

You can prevent getting stuck up for missing an important government document by acting early and proactively applying for and organizing your documents. You will need these at different stages of life for all sorts of things – college/university applications, opening bank accounts, starting a business, applying for other important documents later, and so on.

While applying, please be careful to go to the correct websites as there are many fake websites that will try to get access to your sensitive information. The official government websites usually end in “gov.in” and will have a small lock sign next to the URL. Checking these 2 basic things will keep you safe.

(I have mentioned the websites below but you should still check before filling in your sensitive data).

Table of Contents

1. Aadhar Card

The Aadhar Card is a unique, 12-digit identification number for every individual resident of India.

Ensure all the details on your Aadhar Card are correct. If you have changed homes or your phone number recently, make sure to get that updated. Get your Aadhar Card linked with your email ID and PAN too.

2. PAN Card

Your Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a 10-digit alphanumeric number, which is acts as your identity proof. It is used mainly for tax-related purposes. Your bank will also ask you for your PAN while opening your bank account.

(For other services related to Income Tax, click here).

3. Voter ID Card

The Voter ID Card is an identity document issued by the Election Commission of India to adult domiciles of India. Having this will enable you to vote in the General Elections as well as the local State Election provided you aren’t disqualified otherwise.

It can take a few months to get your voter ID in hand after application so keep a time buffer in mind while applying.

I have seen many people sit at home and criticize various politicians and political parties but don’t even cast a vote themselves despite being eligible. Please do not make this mistake. If you are 18 years old, do make use of your right to vote.

4. Passport

Whether you need it for international travel or for going to study/work abroad, you should apply for your passport once you’re 18.

The application and verification take a decent amount of time. There will also be almost a full day’s work at your nearest passport office so you should keep these points in consideration to avoid delay.

Important reminder: If you already had a passport before, it was one for minors and you will need to get a fresh one issued as you’re now a major and your previous passport has expired.

5. Driving License

Driving is a life skill that everybody needs to have now. Get your learner’s license and the driving license to legally drive anywhere in India.

If you are officially trained by someone at a driving school, you can even ask them for help with the issue of your license. Some schools offer a package for driving lessons and issue of license which can also help you save some bucks if you plan to get their help with both processes anyway.

6. Bank-related Documents

Get your own bank account and start managing at least a small sum of money. You will get used to the different services and the processes to enable these services. Besides, it will help you when you need to upload canceled cheques or other documents for various applications.