How to Create Your ABHA Health ID Card (Free, Online)

ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) is a 14-digit digital health ID under India's Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Think of it as a health-records equivalent of a bank account number — once you have one, participating hospitals, clinics and labs can link your prescriptions, test results and treatment history to it, so your medical history travels with you instead of staying locked in one hospital's filing system.

What ABHA actually does

On its own, creating an ABHA number doesn't do much — the real value comes from linking your health records to it over time as you visit ABDM-enabled facilities. Once linked, you (and, with your consent, a doctor you're visiting) can pull up your health history digitally instead of repeating your medical background at every new clinic or carrying physical files.

Step-by-step: create your ABHA number

1. Visit the official ABHA portal (abha.abdm.gov.in) — there is no other legitimate source for this.
2. Choose to create your ABHA using either Aadhaar or just a mobile number.
3. Verify with an OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
4. Complete your basic profile details.
5. Note down your 14-digit ABHA number and download your ABHA card.

Aadhaar-based vs mobile-based creation

Creating ABHA via Aadhaar auto-fills your name, date of birth and gender from Aadhaar records, which is faster and reduces data-entry errors. Creating it via just a mobile number works if you'd rather not use Aadhaar for this, though you'll need to fill in your details manually. Either path produces the same valid ABHA number.

Is it mandatory?

No — ABHA is entirely voluntary. Hospitals and clinics can still treat you without one; it simply makes managing and sharing your health records across different providers easier if you choose to use it. There's no penalty or downside to not having one, so create it when it's convenient rather than out of any urgency.