JEE Main 2027: No Aadhaar? NRI candidates can register with a passport till Nov 22

By TUF News Desk · Published 11 November 2026 · 3 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

NRI students applying for JEE Main 2027 no longer need an Aadhaar card to finish their registration. The National Testing Agency has added a separate option on the JEE Main portal for candidates who hold a valid Indian passport but no Aadhaar, and it announced the change in a post on its official X account on November 9.

The option is labelled “Apply through the NRI (Having No Aadhaar)”. Candidates choose it on the registration page and complete the form with their passport details. It is only for NRI candidates who do not have an Aadhaar card. Everyone else continues with the usual registration route.

How the change came about

The clarification followed a question from a candidate. The student asked NTA how an NRI applicant without an Aadhaar card, PAN card or driving licence could complete the registration. NTA replied that a passport can now be used to complete the application, and pointed candidates who need to file a fresh application to its public notices of October 28 and 30, 2026, on the JEE Main website.

The Aadhaar question had been holding up applications. Some NRI students living abroad never got an Aadhaar card, and the registration form asked for one of a small set of identity documents. The new option removes that block for them, as long as they hold a valid Indian passport.

Dates to remember

Session 1 registration opened on October 24 and closes on November 22, 2026, at 11:50 pm. After that, NTA will open a late-fee window from November 23 to 26, also till 11:50 pm. The Session 1 exams are scheduled for January 2027. Candidates can apply through the official JEE Main portal.

NTA said on November 10 that more than 5.72 lakh candidates have registered for Session 1 so far, and a little over 4.07 lakh of them have paid the fee. Registration alone does not count as a submitted application. The form is complete only after the fee is paid and the confirmation page is downloaded.

How NRI candidates can apply

Go to the official portal and start a new registration. On the registration page, select the “Apply through the NRI (Having No Aadhaar)” option. Fill in the form using the valid Indian passport as the identity document, pay the fee, and download the confirmation page. Candidates should keep their passport and other documents ready before they start, and the admission documents checklist covers what to have on hand.

Students who run into trouble with the NRI option can contact NTA on 011-40759000 or the toll-free number 1800-180-4747. The same November 22 deadline applies to NRI candidates, so there is no extra time built into this option.

JEE Main is the entrance exam for the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, along with the other IITs, NITs and centrally funded technical institutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can NRI candidates apply for JEE Main 2027 without an Aadhaar card?

Yes. NTA has added an “Apply through the NRI (Having No Aadhaar)” option on the JEE Main portal. NRI candidates with a valid Indian passport can complete their Session 1 registration through it.

What is the last date to apply for JEE Main 2027 Session 1?

November 22, 2026, till 11:50 pm. A late-fee window runs from November 23 to 26, 2026.

I already applied for JEE Main 2027. Can I use the new NRI option?

Yes. NTA says candidates who need to can submit a fresh application and should follow its public notices of October 28 and 30, 2026, on the official portal.

Where do I register for JEE Main 2027?

On the official portal, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: NDTV, Careers360, Moneycontrol