The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came up with a list of of amendments to its Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. The Reserve Bank has observed a large pendency in periodic updation of KYC including in the accounts opened for credit of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)/ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) under Government schemes to facilitate credit of DBTs and/ or scholarship amount (DBT/ EBT/ scholarship beneficiaries) and accounts opened under PMJDY.

In order to further ease the process for the convenience of customers, the instructions regarding updation/ periodic updation of KYC have been amended with the intent, inter alia, to allow BCs to facilitate in the process of KYC updation vide Reserve Bank of India (Know Your Customer (KYC)) (Amendment) Directions, 2025. Similar amendments related to inoperative accounts and unclaimed deposits have been made. 

The processes of onboarding customer and updation/ periodic updation of KYC have been simplified as follows: 

Face-to-face mode for onboarding the customer

Customer may be onboarded in face-to-face mode through Aadhaar biometric based e-KYC authenticating and, in such case, if customer wants to provide a current address, different from the address as per the identity information available in the UIDAI database (i.e., Central Identities Data Repository), he may give a self-declaration to that effect to the RE (ref. paragraph 16 of the Master Direction on KYC). Further, Digital KYC process is also allowed for customer onboarding.

Non-face-to-face (NFTF) modes for onboarding the customer

Consent-based onboarding of customer in NFTF mode may be done using Aadhaar OTP based e-KYC authentication which is subject to certain conditions (ref. paragraph 17 of the Master Direction on KYC). Further, such account shall be placed under strict monitoring, and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) procedure shall be completed within a year. Customer onboarding in NFTF mode using digital modes such as KYC Identifier, equivalent e-documents, documents issued through DigiLocker, and non-digital modes such as obtaining copy of OVD certified by additional certifying authorities as allowed for NRIs and PIOs are subject to certain conditions.

Customer onboarding using Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP)

V-CIP is an alternate method of CDD by an authorised official of the RE by undertaking seamless, secure, live, informed and consent based audiovisual interaction with the customer to obtain identification information required for CDD purpose. V-CIP is treated on par with face-to-face onboarding.

Simplified process of updation and periodic updation of KYC

Self-declarations - REs are allowed to obtain self-declaration regarding “no change in KYC information” or “a change only in address details” from customers using digital and non-digital modes, through customer’s email / mobile number registered with the RE, ATMs, digital channels (such as online banking / internet banking, mobile application of RE), letter, BCs, etc. The updation/ periodic updation of KYC records are allowed to be carried out at any branch of the RE with which customer maintains the account. Aadhaar OTP based e-KYC and V-CIP are permitted for the purpose of updation/ periodic updation of KYC.   The REs have been directed to update customers’ KYC information/ records based on the update notification received from CKYCR.

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