Guide
KYC documents for opening a bank account in India: the RBI list
- The rule
- RBI KYC Directions, 2025, for commercial banks
- ID and address
- One of six officially valid documents
- Tax
- PAN, or Form 60 if you have no PAN
Every bank asks for the same core set, because the RBI sets it. Here is that list, taken from the RBI's current KYC Directions, in plain words.
A real moment
“You are at the branch to open a salary account. Your Aadhaar still shows your old flat, the rent agreement is at home, and the officer wants proof of where you live now.”
To open a bank account in India you need PAN, or Form 60 if you have none, and one officially valid document: passport, driving licence, proof of Aadhaar, voter ID, NREGA job card or an NPR letter. If it shows an old address, a recent utility bill can stand in for three months.
The checklist
What to have ready
Last checked against the official sources on 26 September 2026
Everyone brings
- PAN cardOr the e-PAN. No PAN? Fill in Form 60 instead.
- One officially valid documentPassport, driving licence, proof of Aadhaar, voter ID, an NREGA job card signed by a state officer, or a National Population Register letter with your name and address.
Only if they apply
- Proof of your current addressA utility bill no more than 2 months old, a property or municipal tax receipt, a government pension order, or your employer's letter allotting official accommodation. Give an ID with the new address within three months.Only if your ID shows an old address
- Marriage certificate or Gazette notificationTo link your ID in the old name to you.Only if your name changed after the ID was issued
- Details of your work and incomeThe bank may ask about your job, business or finances.Only if the bank asks for them
- Proof of address from abroadPapers from your own government, or a letter from your embassy or mission in India.Only if you are a foreign national and your ID has no address
Scan each paper once and DigiSafe ticks it off, shows what is still missing, and sends the lot as one PDF or one link.
Tick these off in DigiSafeThe RBI's own list, not a bank's guess
What to bring when your address changed
Why you can black out your Aadhaar number
The rule
RBI KYC Directions, 2025, for commercial banks
ID and address
One of six officially valid documents
Tax
PAN, or Form 60 if you have no PAN
Moved house?
A utility bill under 2 months old, for now
The six documents the RBI accepts
The RBI calls them officially valid documents: passport, driving licence, proof of possession of Aadhaar, voter ID, an NREGA job card signed by a state officer, and a National Population Register letter with your name and address. Proof of Aadhaar can be in any form UIDAI issues, such as an e-Aadhaar.
When your address has changed
If your ID shows an old address, the bank will accept a stand-in for now: a utility bill no more than two months old, a property or municipal tax receipt, a government pension order, or an employer's letter for official accommodation. You then have three months to give an ID with the current address.
Black out your Aadhaar number
Where the bank does not need to authenticate your Aadhaar number, the RBI's directions say the customer should redact or black it out. In other words, the regulator itself asks for a masked copy. DigiSafe hides the first 8 digits and the QR code before a copy leaves your phone.
Video KYC, and accounts with fewer papers
Banks may open an account over a video call, called V-CIP, instead of at a branch. A bank can also open a limited small account without these documents, with strict limits until full KYC is done.
Which banks this covers
These are the RBI's KYC Directions for commercial banks, dated 28 November 2025 and updated on 18 September 2026. Small finance banks, payments banks and NBFCs follow their own versions, and any bank can ask about your work or income, so check with yours.
Step by step
- 1
Check that your PAN and your ID show the same name.
- 2
Open Packs in DigiSafe and choose Bank account / KYC.
- 3
Scan your PAN and your ID, both sides.
- 4
If you have moved, scan a utility bill from the last two months.
- 5
Hide the first 8 digits on any Aadhaar copy before you share it.
- 6
Send the set as one PDF, or one link that expires.
Questions people ask
Is Aadhaar compulsory to open a bank account?+
No. Proof of Aadhaar is one of six officially valid documents. A passport, driving licence, voter ID, NREGA job card or NPR letter also works for identity and address.
Can I open a bank account without PAN?+
Yes. The RBI's list asks for PAN or its e-version, or Form 60 if you do not have a PAN.
Is a rent agreement accepted as address proof for KYC?+
It is not on the RBI's list of stand-ins for a new address. Those are a utility bill no more than two months old, a property or municipal tax receipt, a government pension order, and an employer's letter or leave and licence agreement for official accommodation. Ask your bank before you go.
Do I need a photograph?+
The RBI's main list does not include one. Video KYC and a branch's digital KYC take a live photo, and a small account needs a self-attested photograph.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every requirement on this page comes from the official pages listed here, last checked on 26 September 2026. Rules change and offices can ask for more, so check the official page before you go.
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