Summary: The Reserve Bank of India has issued the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2026, extending the alternative certified-copy facility under the KYC Directions to Foreign Portfolio Investors. Paragraph 4(1)(v) of the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 already permitted Local Area Banks to obtain original certified copies of identification documents for Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin when certified by specified overseas authorities or authorised officials. Following a review, RBI has extended the same facility to Foreign Portfolio Investors. Accordingly, an FPI’s original certified copy may be certified by authorised officials of overseas branches of Scheduled Commercial Banks registered in India, branches of overseas banks having relationships with Indian banks, a Notary Public abroad, Court Magistrate, Judge, or the Indian Embassy or Consulate General in the country where the non-resident customer resides. The amendment substitutes paragraph 4(1)(v) while retaining the general requirement that a bank obtains a certified copy by comparing the customer’s proof of possession of Aadhaar, where offline verification cannot be undertaken, or officially valid document with the original and that an authorised bank officer records the comparison on the copy. These Amendment Directions have come into force with immediate effect.
Reserve Bank of India
RBI/2026-27/259
DOR.AML.REC.221/14.01.008/2026-27 | Dated: September 18, 2026
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2026
Reserve Bank has issued Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the Directions) in compliance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005. The Directions in paragraph 4(1)(v) allow the banks to alternatively obtain the original certified copy which are certified by any one of the authorities / authorised officials mentioned therein in case of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), as defined in Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016 {FEMA 5(R)}. The extant instructions have since been reviewed and it has been decided to extend the above facility in case of Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs).
2. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Banking Regulation Act (AACS), 1949, read with section 56 of the Act ibid., section 10(2) read with section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007 (Act 51 of 2007), section 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, Rule 9(14) of the Prevention of Money-Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005, and all other enabling laws in this regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter specified.
3. Short Title and Commencement
(1) These Directions shall be called theReserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2026
(2) These Directions shall come into force with immediate effect.
4. These Amendment Directions shall modify the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 as under:
(1) Paragraph 4(1)(v) shall be substituted by the following, namely:
“‘Certified Copy’ – Obtaining the certified copy by the bank shall mean comparing the copy of the proof of possession of Aadhaar number where offline verification cannot be carried out or the officially valid document produced by the customer with the original, and an authorised officer of the bank shall record the comparison on the copy as per the provisions contained in the Act. Provided that in case of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), as defined in Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016 {FEMA 5(R)}, and Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), the bank may alternatively obtain the original certified copy, certified by any one of the following:
(a) authorised officials of overseas branches of Scheduled Commercial Banks registered in India,
(b) branches of overseas banks with whom Indian banks have relationships,
(c) Notary Public abroad,
(d) Court Magistrate,
(e) Judge,
(f) Indian Embassy / Consulate General in the country where the non-resident customer resides.”
(Veena Srivastava)
Chief General Manager
