Ayushman Bharat is India's health insurance scheme, which is also known as PM-JAY. Provides up to ₹5 lakh of cashless hospital coverage annually to eligible families. You can fill out the Ayushman Bharat card application using the online form available at beneficiary.nha.gov.in, the Ayushman App or offline at any Common Service Centre. There is a step-by-step procedure, which includes the latest Ayushman Vay Vandana Card for senior citizens aged 70 years and older, and you will find the eligibility and documents required from you.
What Is Ayushman Bharat Card / PM-JAY?
More than 12 crore families are covered in the government health insurance scheme PM-JAY, which covers about 55 crore people in India. It operates based on Aadhaar-based digital verification, meaning that you can get your card in mere minutes after being confirmed eligible.
Key Benefits
- Up to ₹5 lakh cover per family, per year.
- Fully cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals, no upfront payment needed.
- Over 32,000 empanelled hospitals across India, both government and private.
- Covers pre-hospitalisation, treatment, and post-hospital follow-up care.
- Works across state lines, so you're not stuck using it only in your home state.
Ayushman Bharat Card Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility runs on data from the Socio-Economic Caste Census, or SECC 2011. You can't just sign up freely. Your household needs to already appear in that database, or fall under a specific deprivation category.
Eligibility for Rural Households
Rural eligibility generally covers households with kutcha housing, no adult member between 16 and 59, female-headed households with no adult male earner, families with a disabled member and no able-bodied adult, landless households earning through manual labour, and SC/ST households, among other listed categories.
Eligibility for Urban Households
Urban eligibility works differently, based on occupation rather than housing. It covers specific worker categories like rag pickers, street vendors, domestic workers, construction labourers, rickshaw pullers, and similar informal, low-income occupations.
Who Is Excluded?
Households with a government job, income tax payers, and families owning a car or a motorised two-, three-, or four-wheeler for non-commercial use are generally excluded, along with households above certain defined asset thresholds.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Card — Free Cover for Citizens Aged 70+
This is the biggest recent change to the scheme. As of 2026, every Indian citizen aged 70 or above qualifies for free coverage, regardless of income, wealth, or existing insurance. This single update added an estimated 4.5 crore senior citizens to the programme. If your family already holds a PM-JAY card, senior members get a shared top-up cover. If not, they can still get their own Vay Vandana Card independently.
Documents Required for Ayushman Card
Document | Notes |
| Aadhaar Card | It is necessary for e-KYC verification |
| Ration Card or Family ID | Used to look up and verify your household |
| Registered mobile number | Needed to receive your OTP |
| PMJAY letter (if available) | Allows for quicker verification without being required. |
| Domicile certificate | Only required for some schemes expanded by the state. |
How to Apply for Ayushman Bharat Card Online?
The PMJAY beneficiary portal provides the complete Ayushman card online registration procedure.
- Go to the Beneficiary Portal. Visit the website beneficiary.nha.gov.in on your mobile or computer.
- Enter your mobile number and OTP to log in. Choose “Beneficiary”, enter your 10-digit mobile number and confirm the OTP received on your mobile.
- Look up information about your family. Select the state and type in your Aadhaar number, ration card number, family ID or name.
- Complete e-KYC. If your name shows up as eligible, click "Do e-KYC" for each family member, and verify using Aadhaar OTP or face authentication.
- Download your Ayushman Card. After getting e-KYC approval, click on the Download button to download your e-KYC card as a PDF.
How to Apply for Ayushman Card via the Ayushman App?
If you are using a mobile phone, the flow of the Ayushman App is almost the same as the website and is free on the Google Play Store.
To add a beneficiary, open the app and click ‘Beneficiary'.Tap ‘Beneficiary' to add a beneficiary.
Type your cell phone number and confirm with the OTP.
Click on Choose the state and select PM-JAY.
Use your Aadhaar no or ration card no to search for your family.
If OTP or fingerprint is not working properly, complete e-KYC with face authentication.
Once you've been approved, download your card.
How to Apply for Ayushman Bharat Card Offline?
No smartphone or shaky internet? You can still get your card in person.
Steps at a Common Service Centre (CSC) or Empanelled Hospital via Arogya Mitra
- Go to your local CSC or to any Arogya Mitra desk at any empanelled hospital.
- Take Aadhaar, ration card and mobile phone with you.
- The operator will verify your eligibility and do e-KYC for you.
- Your card is approved; it is printed or sent to your registered mobile number.
How to Check Ayushman Card Application Status?
Head back to beneficiary.nha.gov.in, log in with your mobile number and OTP, then search your name again using your Aadhaar or ration card number. Your current status, whether that's "Eligible," "Approved," or "Card Generated," shows directly on screen. You can also send an SMS with PMJAY followed by the last four digits of your Aadhaar to 567676 for a quick status check.
Common Problems & Fixes
Name Not Found in Beneficiary List
Search by Ration card no. First, if not, by name. Very common spelling mistakes are found in the SECC database, so Ramesh could be written as Rameshh or Rames. Still nothing? Instead, manually check with your local CSC.
e-KYC Failed / OTP Not Received
Please make sure the mobile number is registered with Aadhaar. If the OTP is not being delivered, you must switch to face authentication in the Ayushman App instead, as it is not dependent on the registered mobile number.
Card Approved But Not Downloadable
This is typically a temporary server problem on the portal. After some hours, try again or use the app or website, as one may be down temporarily while the other is working.
Conclusion
Getting your Ayushman Card is genuinely one of the more straightforward government processes out there, especially now that face authentication makes e-KYC easier for elderly applicants. Start with the beneficiary portal or app if you have a smartphone handy, and fall back on your nearest CSC if you'd rather have someone walk you through it in person. Once your card is downloaded, keep a copy saved on your phone. You'll want it on hand the moment you actually need hospital care.
FAQs
Is the Ayushman Bharat card free or not?
Yes, completely free. No application fee, no processing fee, no downloading or printing fee.
Is there any expiry date or do you need to renew the Ayushman card?
No, it is not an expiring card, but your eligibility as a household is reviewed periodically based on new government information.
Is it possible to get an Ayushman card without a ration card?
Yes. You can search for your Aadhaar number or family ID, but it takes longer to search without your ration card.
What is the time frame for approval?
In case your details match the SECC database perfectly, e-KYC and approval can be completed in just 10 to 15 minutes. It may take longer to manually verify at a CSC based on local processing.
Who can avail benefits from Ayushman Vay Vandana Card?
The scheme's expansion for senior citizens, which has been proposed for 2026, is open to any Indian citizen who is 70 years of age or older, regardless of their income or wealth status or whether they already have insurance coverage.
Is there any portability of the Ayushman card in any State?
Yes. PM-JAY is portable, meaning that you can avail cashless treatment at any empanelled hospital in the country, and not only in your home state.
If my family is not in the SECC 2011 database?
While you may be eligible for PM-JAY coverage through your state's expanded scheme, you will not likely be eligible for standard PM-JAY coverage unless your state expanded coverage beyond the original data from 2011.
Which hospitals are accepting Ayushman Bharat card?
The list of empanelled hospitals is growing over time, with more facilities joining under PM-JAY, both government and private, with over 32,000 facilities registered in India so far.
