BPRD
Circular Letter No. 16 of 2019 |
June
03, 2019 |
|
The
President/ Chief Executive
All Banks / DFIs
Dear Sir/Madam,
Compliance
of AML/CFT Regime by Banks/ DFIs –
Biometric Verification of Existing Customers
Please refer to Para 5.a of BPRD Circular
Letter No. 18 dated October 19, 2018 on
the above subject.
2. In this regard, based on the representations
received from various stakeholders, including
overseas Pakistanis, following instructions
regarding biometric verification of existing
customers presently outside Pakistan are
being issued:
|
Type of Customer |
Treatment
|
a)
|
Non-resident Pakistanis (NRPs)
As defined in Income Tax Ordinance,
2001 – Chapter 5, Division II,
Section 82
|
For
customers who fall under the definition
of NRP, the bank/ DFI may obtain a
signed undertaking from the customer
invariably containing the following:
• Customer’s NRP status
along with proof (i.e. copy of valid
passport, visa, exit stamp, resident
permit, etc.)
• Copy of valid ID document
(CNIC/ NICOP)
• Account number(s) of the customer’s
account(s) maintained with the bank
as per customer record
• Undertaking by the customer
to inform the bank of any change in
residency status
The bank/ DFI, after verification
of the customer’s signature
from its record, shall accordingly
update/ reflect the NRP status in
the customer profile.
For such customers, as an alternative
to biometric verification, the bank/
DFI may conduct fresh NADRA Verisys
using the information provided by
the customer.
|
b) |
Resident Pakistanis
temporarily outside Pakistan |
For
customers who do not qualify under
the definition of NRP, but are currently/
temporarily outside Pakistan for any
reason, the bank/ DFI may obtain reasonable
evidence/ proof from the customer
regarding his/ her absence from the
country (i.e. copy of valid passport,
visa, exit stamp, resident permit,
etc.) and the expected date of return.
For such customers, as an alternate
to biometric verification, the bank/
DFI may conduct fresh NADRA Verisys
using the information provided by
the customer.
The bank/ DFI may retain the NADRA
Verisys in place of biometric verification
until the customer returns, subject
to reasonable time limit (not more
than six months) to be defined by
banks/ DFIs. Biometric verification
of such customers shall be done immediately
upon the customer’s return to
the country.
|
c) |
Joint
Accounts
where one account holder is outside
Pakistan (NRP/ temporarily)
|
For
joint account holders, treatment of
biometric verification should be done
according to the status of respective
individual. Biometric verification
should be conducted for the joint
account holder who is resident Pakistani,
while for other joint account holders,
the relevant procedure described at
(a) and (b) above should be adopted. |
3. Moreover, it is again advised that as
per the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
on Use of Biometric Technology issued by
SBP vide BPRD Circular Letter No. 20 dated
June 14, 2017, banks/ DFIs may operate accounts
on the basis of NADRA Verisys in genuine
cases (as provided in FAQ No. 8), provided
the bank/ DFI is satisfied and proper reason/
proof is recorded/ retained by the bank/
DFI.
4. For such cases in line with Para-3 above,
in the absence of biometric verification,
bank/ DFI may ensure that requisite identification
document has been obtained, marked as ‘original
seen’ by their staff and verified
through NADRA Verisys. Moreover an undertaking
should be obtained from the customer declaring
that the particulars provided to the bank/
DFI are correct and that their staff has
verified the same. The declaration should
be endorsed by the Branch Manager and should
be available in the bank’s centralized
record.
5. All other instructions on the subject
shall, however, remain unchanged.
6. Please acknowledge receipt.
|
|
Yours truly,
Sd/-
(Muhammad Akhtar
Javed)
Director
|
|
|
|