New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently made changes to the Know Your Customer (KCC) norms to align them with recent amendments carried out in the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules and revised certain existing instructions.According to the Amendment to the Master Direction – Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016, regulated entities (REs) will have to apply the customer due diligence (CDD) procedure at the unique customer identification code (UCIC) level.
KYC Rules: 6 Amendments Announced By RBI Effective Immediately
Paragraph 10(f) of the Master Direction is amended to read as follows: REs shall apply the CDD procedure at the UCIC level. Thus, if an existing KYC compliant customer of a RE desires to open another account or avail any other product or service from the same RE, there shall be no need for a fresh CDD exercise as far as identification of the customer is concerned.
Here are the key steps to understanding the recent RBI KYC (Know Your Customer) updates:
1. Introduction of New KYC Guidelines
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated the KYC rules for financial institutions, with a focus on simplifying the process while ensuring better compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) norms.
2. Video-based KYC (VBKYC)
The new updates further promote video-based KYC, which allows customers to complete their KYC process remotely. This feature helps reduce the need for physical visits to branches, especially in rural and remote areas.
3. Relaxed Document Requirements for KYC
In some cases, the requirement for physical documents has been relaxed. Customers can now use digitally signed documents or Aadhaar-based eKYC to verify their identity, making the process faster and more accessible.
4. Periodic KYC Review
The RBI has emphasized that financial institutions should conduct periodic KYC reviews for existing customers, based on the risk profile of the customer. The frequency of these updates will vary based on the risk assessment, but it is expected to be conducted at least once every two years for low-risk customers.
Conclusion
The recent updates to the RBI’s KYC guidelines aim to streamline the customer verification process, making it more accessible, efficient, and secure. By promoting digital and video-based KYC, the RBI is making it easier for customers to complete their KYC remotely, which is particularly beneficial in a post-pandemic, increasingly digital world. While these updates simplify many aspects of the KYC process, they also emphasize enhanced due diligence for high-risk customers, reinforcing the need for financial institutions to maintain stringent compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.
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