DigiLocker issued documents or uploaded scans: which should you send?
Use DigiLocker’s Issued Documents section to retrieve a document from its issuing organisation. A scan you upload yourself is a personal copy; uploading it does not turn it into a document issued through DigiLocker.
A marksheet downloaded from an issuer and a photo of the same paper may look alike. Their origin matters when a college, employer or public service asks for a verifiable document. Start with what the receiving service actually requests, then choose the matching file or sharing route.
Identify the document you have
| Where it comes from | What to check before submitting |
|---|---|
| Issued Documents in DigiLocker | Correct issuer, document type, holder and available verification route |
| Your own upload in Drive | Whether the recipient accepts a scanned personal copy |
| A screenshot of an issued document | Whether a screenshot is accepted instead of the issuer file or live access |
| A PDF changed after download | Whether the change has removed the signature or verification information the recipient requires |
Find the issuer’s version first
The DigiLocker FAQ distinguishes documents fetched from an original issuing source from files uploaded by the user. Issued documents have an issuer-generated URI, which identifies their source in the system.
- Sign in through DigiLocker’s official website or app.
- Search for the issuing organisation and the required document type.
- Enter the details the service requests, checking the year, roll number or other reference against your records.
- Open the retrieved document and compare the holder’s details with the application.
- Use the recipient’s supported DigiLocker sharing route or its instructions for downloading and submitting the file.
Treat these as a preparation sequence, since available issuers and screen labels can vary. If a record is missing or wrong, check the issuer’s support instructions. Uploading your own scan is not a correction to its database.
When does an issued document count as an original?
The government’s DigiLocker overview explains that issued documents have parity with original physical documents under Rule 9A. That statement concerns documents issued through the system. It should not be extended to every photo stored in an account.
Check the receiving service’s document type and verification process. A portal may offer a direct DigiLocker connection, while another request may call for a particular file. If the portal rejects an apparently correct issued record, keep the error message and ask the recipient or issuer how to proceed. Repeatedly re-exporting the same PDF will not repair a mismatch in the underlying record.
Organise copies without losing the official version
Create a small record of what you submitted: document name, issuer, purpose and date. Keep an original download in Files and use clearly named personal copies for quick reference. Dokus can hold those copies behind the iPhone’s biometric lock; it does not fetch or certify a DigiLocker record.
Only use the compression tool when a recipient accepts an image-based working copy. Its output does not preserve selectable PDF text or the original digital signature. Do not compress or redact a file merely to make it look tidier when verification depends on the unchanged original.
For a UIDAI-issued masked file, see how to obtain Masked Aadhaar. If you are preparing an in-person application, the Passport Seva checklist explains how to keep originals and copies separate.
Final checks
- Correct issuer, document type and holder.
- Correct year or record reference.
- The recipient’s verification route is available.
- The original electronic file is preserved.
- Submission confirmation or the exact error message has been saved.
DigiLocker questions
Does uploading a scan make it an issued document?
No. The FAQ separates user uploads from documents made available directly by an issuer. Uploading a file does not change where it came from.
Can Dokus replace DigiLocker?
Dokus keeps personal copies organised on your iPhone. Official retrieval, issuer verification and DigiLocker sharing remain part of the relevant government service.
Should I send a screenshot or download the PDF?
Follow the recipient’s instructions. When an official file or a verification route is requested, a screenshot may omit the properties needed to check the document.