SEBI allows non-residents to complete KYC electronically from 3 December

India's Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) issued a circular dated 4 November 2026, effective 3 December 2026, revising the know-your-customer (KYC) process for individuals resident outside India.

The circular covers non-resident Indians (NRIs), overseas citizens of India (OCIs) and foreign nationals from countries compliant with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards, allowing them to submit and sign KYC documents electronically from abroad without being physically present in India.

It permits reliance on KYC completed by another intermediary through a KYC Registration Agency or through the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCRR), while ultimate responsibility remains with the intermediary onboarding the client. It also allows video in-person verification (VIPV) where physical verification is not feasible, provided the session is live, conducted by an authorised official and includes liveness checks and encryption.

The circular requires the intermediary to upload the KYC record to a KRA within three working days of completion, with rejected submissions monitored until resolved. It also applies to re-KYC, not only first-time onboarding, and the overseas address must be treated as the client's current address.

What do these terms mean?

KYC: Short for "know your customer," a process financial institutions use to verify a client's identity and address before opening an account.

FATF: The international Financial Action Task Force, which sets standards against money laundering and terrorist financing.

CKYCRR: India's Central KYC Records Registry, which holds KYC records that regulated institutions can access.

Video in-person verification: A live video interview conducted by an official to confirm a client's identity instead of requiring them to appear in person.