The Reserve Bank has, from time to time, taken measures to rationalise the KYC related instructions taking into account the available technological options for enhancing customers’ convenience within the framework prescribed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and rules framed thereunder. The process for the periodic updation of KYC (re-KYC) was simplified in May 2021 (Section 38 of RBI Master Direction on KYC).

2. As per the present guidelines, if there is no change in KYC information, a self-declaration to that effect from the individual customer is sufficient to complete the re-KYC process. The banks have been advised to provide facility of such self-declaration to the individual customers through various non-face-to-face channels such as registered email-id, registered mobile number, ATMs, digital channels (such as online banking / internet banking, mobile application), letter, etc., without need for a visit to bank branch. Further, if there is only a change in address, customers can furnish revised / updated address through any of these channels after which, the bank would undertake verification of the declared address within two months.

3. As the banks are mandated to keep their records up-to-date and relevant by undertaking periodic reviews and updations, a fresh KYC process / documentation may have to be undertaken in certain cases including where the KYC documents available in bank records do not conform to present list of the Officially Valid Documents (viz., passport, driving license, proof of possession of Aadhaar number, the Voter's Identity Card, job card issued by NREGA and letter issued by the National Population Register) or where the validity of the KYC document submitted earlier may have expired. In such cases, the banks are required to provide an acknowledgement of the receipt of the KYC documents / self-declaration submitted by the customer.

4. Fresh KYC process can be done by visiting a bank branch, or remotely through a Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) (wherever the same has been enabled by the banks), as provided in Section 18 of the Master Direction on KYC.

5. Individual customers of banks are encouraged to get more information on the different options available to them from their bank for (a) completing re-KYC (such as submission of self-declaration through various non-face–to-face channels mentioned in para 2); OR (b) completing fresh KYC by visiting a bank branch or remotely through V-CIP.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2022-2023/1500