RBI/2014-15/122
DNBS(PD).CC.No 400/03.10.42/2014-15

July 14, 2014

All Non-Banking Financial Companies

Dear Sirs,

Know Your Customer (KYC) Norms / Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Standards /Combating of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) / Obligation of NBFCs under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 Recognising E-Aadhaar as an 'Officially Valid Document' under PML Rules

Please refer to paragraph I (11) of Master Circular DNBS (PD) CC No. 387/03.10.42/ 2014-15 dated July 1, 2014 on Know Your Customer (KYC) Norms / Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Standards/Combating of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) / Obligation of banks under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 which states that letter issued by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) containing details of name, address and Aadhaar number, may be accepted as an ‘Officially Valid Document’. Further, while opening accounts based on Aadhaar, NBFCs must satisfy themselves about the current address of the customer by obtaining required proof of the same as per extant instructions.

2. In order to reduce the risk of identity fraud, document forgery and have paperless KYC verification, UIDAI has launched its e-KYC service. Accordingly, it has been decided to accept e-KYC service as a valid process for KYC verification under Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005. Further, the information containing demographic details and photographs made available from UIDAI as a result of e-KYC process ("which is in an electronic form and accessible so as to be usable for a subsequent reference") may be treated as an 'Officially Valid Document' under PML Rules. In this connection, it is advised that while using e-KYC service of UIDAI, the individual user has to authorize the UIDAI, by explicit consent, to release her or his identity / address through biometric authentication to the NBFC branches. The UIDAI then transfers the data of the individual comprising name, age, gender, and photograph of the individual, electronically to the NBFCs, which may be accepted as valid process for KYC verification. The broad operational instructions to NBFCs willing to use the UIDAI e-KYC service on Aadhaar e-KYC service are enclosed as Annex. Such NBFCs are advised to have proper infrastructure (as specified in Annex) in place to enable biometric authentication for e-KYC. Physical Aadhaar card / letter issued by UIDAI containing details of name, address and Aadhaar number received through post would continue to be accepted as an 'Officially Valid Document'.

3. Further NBFCs may accept e-Aadhaar downloaded from UIDAI website as an officially valid document subject to the following:

a) If the prospective customer knows only his / her Aadhaar number, the NBFC may print the prospective customer's e-Aadhaar letter in the NBFC directly from the UIDAI portal; or adopt e-KYC procedure as mentioned in paragraph 2 above.

b) If the prospective customer carries a copy of the e-Aadhaar downloaded elsewhere, the NBFC may print the prospective customer's e-Aadhaar letter in the NBFC directly from the UIDAI portal; or adopt e-KYC procedure as mentioned in paragraph 2 above; or confirm identity and address of the resident through simple authentication service of UIDAI.

4. Physical Aadhaar card / letter issued by UIDAI containing details of name, address and Aadhaar number received through post and e-KYC process mentioned in the circular referred in paragraph 2 above would continue to be accepted as an 'Officially Valid Document'.

5.NBFCs may revise their KYC policy in the light of the above instructions and ensure strict adherence to the same.

Yours faithfully,

(Sindhu Pancholy)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: as above