15+ Documents Required for Opening A Bank Account
What are acceptable document proofs for bank account opening? Click here to know about the list of important documents required while opening a bank account. Read now!
People open simple savings bank accounts for various reasons. You may want to save money consistently in a safe place, or you may think about different investment options and want to create an account exclusively to save the returns. Whatever the reason, you can open a savings bank account in any bank of your particular choice. An Indian resident, Hindu undivided family, and foreign nationals can easily open a savings bank account with sufficient bank account proof.
What Is Required for Opening a Bank Account?
Opening a savings bank account is a straightforward process. You have to fill out the application form of that particular bank and provide id proof for a bank account. The documents are required to prove your identity and residential address. These documents are often called Know Your Customer (KYC) documents. All banks are required to get KYC documents from their customers. You will not be allowed to open a bank account without proof of bank account.
Essential Documents for Opening a Bank Account
You have to provide both proof of identity and proof of address while opening a bank account. Most banks accept the following list of documents:
ID Proof:
- PAN card
- Aadhaar card
- Voter ID
- Passport
- Driving license
- Employee ID
- Central or state government’s issued photo id proofs
- NREGA job card
Address Proof:
- Voter ID
- Utility bill (electricity, gas, water, telephone)
- Passport
- Driving license
- Recent bank account statement
- Bank passbook
- Ration card
- Aadhaar card
- A letter attested (stamped/signed/recognized) by a gazetted officer or approved public authority for address verification
While submitting bank account proof, you only need to submit any of the above essential documents for identity and address proof. If any document is listed under both ID proof and address proof, you only have to submit the document once. You must submit the latest passport-size photographs, application form, KYC form, and the documents mentioned above. Many banks now provide digital options to ease the process of form submission.
To simplify the KYC process, the Reserve Bank of India has relaxed the rules for submitting documents. If you provide one of the following documents as bank account proof, you only need to provide any one of the documents mentioned below for proof of identity and proof of address:
- Passport
- Driving license
- Voters ID card
- PAN card
- Aadhaar letter from UIDAI or Aadhaar card
- NREGA job card with State Government official signature
Usually, banks require you to submit address proof for your current and permanent addresses separately. However, with the new relaxation, if your current and permanent address in the address proof for bank account opening differs, you only need to submit a declaration form with the current address. KYC documents aren't necessary to be submitted again when you move your bank account to another branch of the same bank.
If the bank classifies you as a low-risk customer, you don't need to submit one of the officially valid documents. You can provide any one of the below within six months of opening the account:
- Photo ID proof issued by central/state government, statutory/regulatory authorities, public sector undertakings, scheduled commercial banks, and public financial institutions;
- A gazetted officer’s letter with a duly certified photograph of the person.
For self-help groups (SHGs), KYC documents for all members are not needed. KYC documents have to be submitted only to the officials. In addition, international students can submit their KYC documents as bank account proof within one month of opening a bank account.
Traditionally, you have to visit the branch with which you want to open your savings account and submit photocopies of proof of bank account. Now, the KYC process has become digital. E-KYC allows you to submit the documents from the comfort of your home.
The savings bank account opening can be completed online by submitting the online application form and e-KYC. You can submit a self-portrait with your documents or a self-portrait video with your documents based on the requirement of your bank for identity verification services.
Some banks ask you to upload the documents using their online platform while filling out the online application. Once the documents are submitted online, you must wait a few hours to a day for verification.
