Purpose To provide a framework of rules/regulations/standards/practices to the credit card issuing banks/NBFCs for their credit card business and ensure that the same are in alignment with the best customer practices. Banks should adopt adequate safeguards and implement the following guidelines in order to ensure that their credit card operations are run on sound, prudent and customer friendly manner.
No NBFC shall open subsidiaries/joint ventures/representative office abroad or shall make investment in any foreign entities without obtaining prior approval in writing from the Reserve Bank of India. The application from the NBFC seeking No Objection would be considered subject to these directions.
The provisions of these directions shall apply to every Mortgage Guarantee Company which has been granted Certificate of Registration by the Reserve Bank of India.
As you are aware, in order to have all current instructions on the subject at one place, the Reserve Bank of India had issued a Master Circular No. 148 on the captioned subject, which is now updated up to 30th June, 2011. It may be noted that the Master Circular consolidates and updates all the instructions contained in the notifications listed in the Appendix in so far they relate to the subject. The Master Circular has also been placed on the RBI web-site (http://www.rbi.org.in). A copy of the revised Master Circular is enclosed.
The Reserve Bank of India having considered it necessary in the public interest and being satisfied that for the purpose of enabling the Bank to regulate the credit system to the advantage of the country, it is necessary to give the directions set out below, hereby, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 45J, 45K, 45L and 45MA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934) and of all the powers enabling it in this behalf, and in supersession of the earlier directions contained in Notification No.DFC.114/DG(SPT)-98, dated January 2, 1998 gives to every non-banking financial company the directions hereinafter specified.
Foreign investment in India is governed by sub-section (3) of section 6 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 read with Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, as amended from time to time. The regulatory framework and instructions issued by the Reserve Bank have been compiled in this Master Circular. The list of underlying circulars/notifications is furnished in Appendix. In addition to the above, this Master Circular also covers the area of ‘Investment in capital of partnership firms or proprietary concern’ which is regulated in terms of section 2(h) and section 47 of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, read with Notification No. FEMA 24/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000.
The ‘Know Your Customer’ guidelines were issued in February 2005 revisiting the earlier guidelines issued in January 2004 in the context of the Recommendations made by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Anti Money Laundering (AML) standards and on Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT). These standards have become the international benchmark for framing Anti Money Laundering and combating financing of terrorism policies by the regulatory authorities. Compliance with these standards by the banks/financial institutions/NBFCs in the country have become necessary for international financial relationships.
Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS) is a quick and easy way of transferring personal remittances from abroad to beneficiaries in India. Only inward personal remittances into India such as remittances towards family maintenance and remittances favouring foreign tourists visiting India are permissible. No outward remittance from India is permissible under MTSS.
These directions shall be known as the Miscellaneous Non-Banking Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 1977. They shall come into force with effect from the 1st July, 1977 and any reference in these directions to the date of commencement thereof shall be deemed to be a reference to that date.
Guidelines on Fair Practices Code for NBFCs -( i) Applications for loans and their processing (a) Loan application forms should include necessary information which affects the interest of the borrower, so that a meaningful comparison with the terms and conditions offered by other NBFCs can be made and informed decision can be taken by the borrower. The loan application form may indicate the documents required to be submitted with the application form.
