**Executive Summary**
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued amendment directions on December 29, 2025, concerning Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures for All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs). These directions amend the existing KYC Directions of 2025, modifying responsibilities related to uploading and downloading customer records from the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR). The amendment takes effect immediately.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment Title:** Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025.
* **Effective Date:** These directions come into force with immediate effect.
* **Modification to KYC Directions:** The amendment modifies the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025.
* **Responsibility for KYC Verification:**
* The reporting entity (RE) that last uploaded or updated customer KYC records in the CKYCR is responsible for verifying the customer's identity and/or address.
* AIFIs downloading and relying on KYC records from CKYCR are not required to re-verify the authenticity of the customer's identity and/or address if the downloaded records are current and compliant with the PML Act, 2002, and PML Rules, 2005.
* AIFIs downloading KYC records from the CKYCR are responsible for all aspects of CDD procedure and provisions of these Directions, except verification of identity and / or address of the customer.
**Impact Analysis**
**All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs)**
* **Impact:** AIFIs are affected by the clarification of KYC responsibilities, particularly concerning reliance on CKYCR records.
* **Action Required:** AIFIs must adhere to the revised guidelines regarding the verification of customer identity and address, and must ensure that downloaded KYC records comply with the PML Act and Rules. They should also remain responsible for all aspects of CDD procedure, except verification of identity and / or address of the customer.
**Reporting Entities (RE) uploading to CKYCR**
* **Impact:** These entities will be primarily responsible for verifying the identity and/or address of the customer when uploading or updating records.
* **Action Required:** Ensure thorough verification of KYC information before uploading or updating it in CKYCR.
Key Entities Referenced
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: Act empowering RBI to issue the directions.
Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025: The primary subject of the document, outlining amendments to KYC norms for All India Financial Institutions by RBI.
Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025: The original directions being amended by the current document.
PML Act, 2002: Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, compliance with which is a key aspect of the directions.
CKYCR: Central KYC Records Registry, the system for uploading and downloading customer records, responsibility for which is clarified by these directions.
RBI/2025-26/157
DOR.AML.REC.361/14.01.011/2025-26 December 29, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know Your Customer)
Amendment Directions, 2025
Reserve Bank had issued Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Know
Your Customer) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the
Directions) in compliance of the provisions of the PML Act, 2002 and the Rules made
thereunder. There is a need to amend the Directions to clarify the responsibility of entities
uploading customer records to and downloading the same from CKYCR, based on the
office memorandum (OM) titled “CKYCR and the ultimate responsibility of REs – reg.”
issued by the Department of Revenue, Govt of India, dated September 18, 2025.
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, sections 45JA, 45K, and 45L of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, 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 the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial
Institutions – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025.
(2) These Directions shall come into force with immediate effect.
4. These Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial
Institutions – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 as under:(1) In paragraph 62, the following “Explanation” is being inserted after sub-paragraph
(9):
“Explanation: The RE that has last uploaded or updated the customer’s KYC records
in the CKYCR shall be responsible for verifying the identity and / or address of the
customer, as applicable. Accordingly, any AIFI downloading and relying on such
records from the CKCYR shall not be required to re-verify the authenticity of the
customer’s identity and / or address, provided the KYC records downloaded from
CKYCR are current and compliant with the PML Act, 2002 / PML Rules, 2005. The AIFI
downloading and relying on KYC records downloaded from the CKCYR shall remain
responsible for all aspects of CDD procedure and provisions of these Directions, except
verification of identity and / or address of the customer.”
(Veena Srivastava)
Chief General Manager