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Government Services

Senior Citizen Card: Who Issues It, Benefits and How to Apply

There is no national senior citizen card; states issue their own to residents aged 60+. Most bank and tax benefits need only proof of date of birth.

VD

Written by Vikram Desai

Published 9 October 2026·6 min read

On this page8 sections
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India has no single national senior citizen card. States issue their own identity card or certificate to residents aged 60 or above, through portals such as Seva Sindhu (Karnataka) and Sewa Setu (Assam). Most bank, tax and health benefits depend on your date of birth, so a passport or PAN card often does the same job.

Key facts

Item Detail
Who counts as a senior citizen An Indian citizen aged 60 or above (Section 2(h), Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007)
Who issues the card State governments, through a department, the tahsildar or the district office
National card None; the Ayushman Vay Vandana card (70+) is a health cover card, not an age ID
Typical fee Nil government fee in Karnataka and Assam; service centres charge ₹30 to ₹40
Typical time 7 days (Maharashtra), 15 days (Assam), 21 days (Karnataka)
Aadhaar as age proof UIDAI says Aadhaar is proof of identity, not proof of date of birth

What a senior citizen card is

A senior citizen card is a state-issued document that records your name, date of birth, address and photograph, and certifies that you are 60 or older. Some states call it an identity card; others issue a senior citizen certificate. The national portal, services.india.gov.in, lists these as separate state services rather than one national form.

The age threshold comes from the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Section 2(h) defines a senior citizen as any citizen of India who has reached 60.

Where the card helps

The card helps most with state schemes and local services, where offices ask for it by name. Benefits that apply nationally are tied to age, not to the card:

ItemDetails
Bank deposits.Banks pay a higher rate to depositors aged 60 and above, using the date of birth in your KYC. Compare them on our senior citizen FD rates page.
Small savings.The Senior Citizens Savings Scheme pays 8.2% for July to September 2026. See our SCSS guide.
Tax.For tax year 2026-27, the TDS threshold on bank and post office interest is ₹1,00,000 for senior citizens, against ₹50,000 for others. Those with nil tax can file Form 121, which replaced Form 15H; see Form 15G and 15H are now Form 121.
Health cover.Everyone aged 70 or above is eligible for ₹5 lakh a year of cover under the Ayushman Vay Vandana card, whatever their income. Our Vay Vandana card guide explains enrolment.
Police registration.Delhi Police runs a senior citizen registration for people aged 60 or above who live alone or only with a spouse.

Rail fares are a common question. Indian Railways withdrew the senior citizen fare concession on 20 March 2020. It had not been restored when MPs raised it in the Lok Sabha in March 2026, and no restoration has been notified since.

For bank accounts with senior citizen features, see our page on senior citizen bank accounts.

Documents and eligibility

Most states ask for proof of age and residence. What each lists:

State Service Documents listed on the official page
Karnataka Senior citizen card (Seva Sindhu) Age proof, address proof, residence certificate; blood group report if you give a blood group. Applicant must be 60+ and a Karnataka resident.
Assam Senior citizen certificate (Sewa Setu) Age proof (passport, PAN, pension payment order, marriage certificate, school certificate, photo bank passbook or Gaon Burha certificate), residence proof (ration card, passport or voter ID), photograph
Haryana Senior citizen identity card (Saral) Birth proof, domicile certificate, current residential proof, caste proof and Aadhaar, shown in original
Maharashtra Senior citizen certificate (Aaple Sarkar) Portal lists no documents; issued by the tahsildar

Aadhaar alone may not settle your age. UIDAI says Aadhaar is valid identity proof but not proof of date of birth, and its Circular No. 08 of 2023 removed it from accepted date-of-birth documents. Keep a passport, PAN card, school certificate or birth certificate ready.

How to apply in your state

The steps below follow Assam’s Sewa Setu flow. Other state portals use a similar sequence.

  1. Register on your state’s service portal with your mobile number.
  2. Log in and open the senior citizen card or certificate service.
  3. Fill in the form with your personal details and address.
  4. Upload your photograph and scans of age and residence proof.
  5. Pay any service charge and submit.
  6. Save the acknowledgement with the reference number.
  7. Attend physical verification if the office asks for it.
  8. Download the certificate from the portal once it is approved.

If you cannot apply online, a common service centre can file it for you. Karnataka charges ₹40 at authorised centres, and Assam charges ₹30 at PFCs and CSCs, plus ₹10 a page for printing and ₹5 a page for scanning, and a ₹10 convenience fee.

Fees and processing time

State Government fee Time limit Issuing authority
Karnataka Free (₹40 at service centres) 21 days Department for Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens
Assam Nil (₹30 at PFC/CSC plus ₹10 convenience fee) 15 days Applied for through Sewa Setu
Maharashtra Not stated on portal 7 days Tahsildar
Haryana Not stated on portal Not stated Social Justice and Empowerment Department

Other states set their own fees and timelines. Arunachal Pradesh, for example, takes applications through serviceonline.gov.in, routed to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Check your state portal before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a central government senior citizen card?

No. Senior citizen identity cards and certificates are issued by state governments. The Ayushman Vay Vandana card is central, but it is a health cover card for people aged 70 and above.

Can I apply for a senior citizen card online?

Yes, where your state offers it online; Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra and Haryana do. A common service centre can also apply for you. Some states ask you to attend a verification.

What is the minimum age?

60 years. That is the definition in the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, and the age Karnataka uses.

Do banks need a senior citizen card for higher FD rates?

Banks go by the date of birth in your KYC records. Ask your branch to update it if your account does not show senior citizen status.

Is Aadhaar enough as age proof?

Often not. UIDAI treats Aadhaar as identity proof, not proof of date of birth, so offices may ask for a passport, PAN card or school certificate.

Do senior citizens get a discount on train tickets?

Not at present. The fare concession was withdrawn on 20 March 2020 and had not been restored as of March 2026.

Sources

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