Cor respondent Account

K YC To o l k i t
A G U I D E T O C O M M O N D O C U M E N TAT I O N
REQUIREMENTS

OCTOBER 2009
CORRESPONDENT ACCOUNT KYC TOOLKIT: A GUIDE TO COMMON DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction 3

Project 4

Findings 5

Due Diligence for Correspondent Accounts 6

Wolfsberg Principles for Correspondent Banking 7

Standard Due Diligence Information to be Provided 10

Availability of the Standard Due Diligence Information 11

Dissemination of the Standard Due Diligence Information 12

Further Information on Establishment and Maintenance of Correspondent

Banking Accounts 14

Appendix I: Checklist of Core Information Required 15

Appendix II: Templates of Forms (Blank) 16

Disclaimer: This guide was developed specifically to provide information and guidance relating to the
application process for opening a Correspondent Bank account or responding to an inquiry from a counter-
party bank undertaking a “Know Your Customer” compliance review. Each bank that offers banking
services will have its own documentation requirements which may differ from what is set out in this guide.
Hence, the procedures and standards set out in this guide do not guarantee the sufficiency of any information
that may be provided to, or accepted by, another financial institution. This guide is also not intended to
provide information regarding the preparation of policies and procedures relating to anti-money laundering or
compliance with other relevant banking and other statutes and regulations that may be the subject of a
correspondent or counterparty bank information request. This guide does not constitute legal advice. Users
of this guide are urged to contact appropriate authorities in the jurisdictions in which they conduct business,
as well as their own legal and business advisers.

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Introduction
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, launched the
Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP) in 2005. Under this program, IFC guarantees the payment risk of
counter-party banks in emerging markets related to a variety of underlying trade instruments. The GTFP also
provides technical assistance to banks, with a focus on institutional capacity building in the broad areas of
Trade Finance and International Trade Operations. For more information about the GTFP, please visit:
http://www.ifc.org/GTFP

Trade is a fundamental component in a country’s growth and development and this has been especially true
for emerging markets. The IFC with its mandate to support the private sector within developing countries
actively works to facilitate cross-border trade through its trade finance program. Under the GTFP, IFC can
provide guarantees covering up to 100% of a transaction value thus facilitating the parties involved with the
trade transaction to close the deal despite challenges they may have encountered with credit limits, country
exposure constraints, etc. The underlying framework between these financial institutions is normally a
correspondent banking relationship1, or, at a minimum, the completion of a “Know Your Customer”
(“KYC”) compliance file which needs to be in place for the documentary credit or other trade instrument to
be issued, confirmed or negotiated.

From its work in developing economies, IFC has found that many banks encounter difficulties in establishing
correspondent banking relationships. Some of the difficulties involve inadequate or poor information being
provided by the Applicant Bank to support the application to the potential correspondent. The guidelines
presented herein, which draw upon the results of research undertaken with local, regional and international
banks participating in the GTFP, are designed to inform banks of international best practice standards with
regard to the information needed to support an application for a correspondent banking relationship or to
respond to a request from a bank related to its internal KYC compliance procedures. By improving the
content and delivery of such information, an Applicant Bank presents itself in a professional manner and may
reduce the time taken for the application to be processed.

1
Correspondent Banking is the provision of a current or other liability account and/or related services to
another financial institution used to meet its cash clearing, liquidity management and short-term borrowing or
investment needs, which includes trade related documentary credits. The Correspondent Bank provides these
services to the Applicant Bank.

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Project
Based on suggestions made by banks in the GTFP network, IFC launched a study in the latter half of 2008 to
examine some of the challenges which GTFP members may encounter in conducting their cross-border trade
business with counterparty banks. One aspect of the work was to examine issues pertaining to the
establishment of correspondent banking relationships and/or the completion and delivery of KYC
compliance information which is usually a pre-requisite for conducting trade with a counter-party bank.
The work included reviewing the current best-practice standards for due diligence procedures for
correspondent account applications between Issuing (Applicant) Banks and Confirming (Correspondent)
Banks, and meeting with these banks to discuss and identify key issues.

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Findings
Confirming (Correspondent) Banks listed various reasons why establishment of a Correspondent Bank
relationship sometimes is not possible, including:

 Difficulties in obtaining the required information in time, and in English

 Concerns about quality (content, completeness and accuracy) of documentation received
 Concerns about country banking supervision, country risk, small transaction volume
 Need for validation and verification of data provided

Issuing (Applicant) Banks reported fewer concerns:

 None reported that other banks had expressed concerns about the documentation and information
sent
 Few reported difficulties in meeting the due diligence requirements of other banks
 Some reported that other, non-due diligence related, reasons were given for declining a relationship

The findings suggest that there has been limited information made available to the Applicant Banks about the
Correspondent Banks’ due diligence requirements and the consequences of failing to provide this information
in a manner representing best industry practice. This may have affected the Applicant Bank’s ability to
respond adequately to requests from Correspondent Banks. This Guide is meant to assist Applicant Banks in
this regard.

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Standard Due Diligence for Correspondent

Accounts
In the current banking environment, financial institutions are operating under rigorous global and local
compliance requirements, established by their national, state and internal regulators. A bank cannot provide
Correspondent Bank activities to another bank without first complying with strict due diligence obligations.
This is done not only for compliance with regulations but also as part of risk management requirements to
ensure that the bank providing the correspondent services (Correspondent Bank) knows with whom it is
conducting business.

Customer due diligence policies, regardless of the type of services that are being provided – retail, credit,
correspondent, have become increasingly important globally to prevent theft, fraud, money laundering and
terrorist financing. Customer due diligence is not just a form filling exercise - it is a process that continues
from the start of a customer relationship to the end.

In addition to being a requirement for Anti Money-Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing
(AML/CTF) purposes, customer due diligence is also employed by regular companies of all sizes, for the
purpose of ensuring their proposed agents', consultants' or distributors' anti-bribery compliance. Banks,
insurers and export credit agencies are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed anti-
corruption due diligence information, to verify their probity and integrity.

The minimum due diligence obligations are ordinarily established by the financial institution’s regulator.
These obligations are frequently based upon international standards such as the Financial Action Task Force
on Money Laundering (FATF) 40+9 Recommendations or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
The Wolfsberg Group2, which includes many leading financial institutions, has also published recommended
best practices on establishing and maintaining correspondent accounts.

2
The Wolfsberg Group consists of the following financial institutions: Banco Santander, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
UFJ, Barclays, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J. P. Morgan Chase, Société
Générale, UBS

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Wolfsberg Principles for Correspondent Banking

The Wolfsberg Principles for Correspondent Banking were developed in November 2002 by several leading
international financial institutions as recommended best practice for establishing and maintaining
correspondent accounts. It is considered that the use of the principles will “further effective risk
management and enable institutions to exercise sound business judgment with respect to their clients.” These
principles have been incorporated in the policies and procedures of many financial institutions in the
provision of correspondent banking services.

The principles3 are divided into several aspects. The most important aspect for a bank which is seeking to
apply for correspondent banking services concerns the due diligence to which the Applicant Bank will be
subject.

The objective of the due diligence is to enable the bank offering the correspondent services (Correspondent
Bank) to be comfortable in conducting business with the Applicant Bank. While there is some standard due
diligence information required, the Applicant Bank may be requested to provide further information based
upon their risk profile.

Risk-Based Due Diligence

The risk profile will determine what reasonable due diligence or enhanced due diligence the Correspondent
Bank will undertake. In addition to asking the Applicant Bank to provide specific information, the bank
offering the correspondent services may use publicly available information concerning the Applicant Bank.

In particular, the institution will consider the following risk indicators, and it may give the appropriate weight
to each as it deems necessary:

 Applicant Bank’s Domicile

 Applicant Bank’s Ownership and Management Structure
 Applicant Bank’s Type of Business and Customer Base

Due Diligence
In conducting Due Diligence on any Applicant Bank, the following shall be considered, as appropriate:

Domicile and Organization

 the jurisdiction where the Applicant Bank’s ultimate parent is incorporated and/or headquartered
and where the particular operating unit wishing to maintain the relationship conducts its business, as
well as the corporate legal form of the Applicant Bank

3Full details of the Wolfsberg Group Principles for Correspondent Banking can be found at: www.wolfsberg-
principles.com

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Ownership and Executive Management

 whether the Applicant Bank is publicly held or privately owned; if publicly held, whether its shares
are traded on an exchange in a jurisdiction with an adequately recognized regulatory scheme; and the
identity of any significant controlling interests
 the structure and experience of the Applicant’s executive management, i.e. of the most senior
executives in charge of its day-to-day business. Depending on the circumstances of the Applicant
Bank, this may include the members of their Board of Directors or Supervisory Board, Executive
Committee or its equivalent
 the existence of any Politically Exposed Person in the Executive Management or ownership structure

Applicant Bank’s Type of Business and Customer Base

 the types of financial products and services the Applicant Bank offers to its own clients, and
depending upon the risk associated with the Applicant Bank, the geographic markets reached
 the business purpose(s) behind the application for correspondent banking services, including the
products and services which will offered to the Applicant Bank

Additional Informational Requirements:

Regulatory Status and History
 the primary regulatory body responsible for overseeing or supervising the Applicant Bank
 if circumstances warrant, an institution undertaking due diligence will also consider publicly available
materials to ascertain whether the Applicant Bank has been the subject of any criminal or adverse
regulatory action in the recent past

Anti-Money Laundering Controls

 the nature of the Applicant Bank’s anti-money laundering controls and the extent to which they are
globally applied

No Business Arrangements With Shell Banks4

 confirmation that the Applicant Bank will not use the institution's products and services to engage in
business with Shell Banks

4
A Shell Bank is a bank that: (i) does not conduct business at a fixed address in a jurisdiction in which the
Shell Bank is authorised to engage in banking activities; (ii) does not employ one or more individuals on a
full time business at this fixed address; (iii) does not maintain operating records at this address; and (iv) is
not subject to inspection by the banking authority that licensed it to conduct banking activities. A bank
which meets these requirements but which is also a Regulated Affiliate is not a Shell Bank for the purposes
of these Principles. A Regulated Affiliate is a bank which would otherwise be a Shell Bank or an Offshore
Bank (as the case may be) but which is owned, directly or indirectly by a financial institution that is
licensed in a jurisdiction and which is subject to supervision by the banking authority of that jurisdiction.

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Client Visit
 a bank’s due diligence procedures may also include a visit to the Applicant Bank at their premises
prior to or within a reasonable period of time after establishing a relationship

Enhanced Due Diligence

Applicant Banks that present greater risks will be subject to an Enhanced Due Diligence process which
involves further consideration of the following elements:

Ownership and Management

 for all significant controlling interests, the owners' sources of wealth and background, including their
reputation in the market place, as well as recent material ownership changes (e.g. in the last five
years). Similarly, a more detailed understanding of the experience of each member of the Executive
Management as well as recent material changes in the Executive Management structure (i.e. within
the last two years)

Involvement of Politically Exposed Persons

 if a Politically Exposed Person appears to have an interest or management role in the Applicant
Bank, then the institution shall ensure it has an understanding of that person's role in the Applicant
Bank

Quality of the Anti-Money Laundering Controls

 the quality of the Applicant Bank’s anti-money laundering and client identification controls including
whether these controls meet internationally recognized standards. Additionally, the institution may
speak with representatives of the Applicant Bank to obtain comfort that the Applicant Bank’s senior
management recognize the importance of anti-money laundering controls

Downstream Correspondent Clearing

 questions may pursue an Applicant Bank who receives correspondent banking services from an
institution and itself provides correspondent banking services to other financial institutions in the
same currency as the account it maintains with the institution

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Core Due Diligence Information to be Provided

Utilizing the Wolfsberg Principles as the standard for industry best practice regarding the information which
should be submitted in support of an application for correspondent banking services, the Applicant Bank
should collect and provide the following (see Appendix I for Checklist and Appendix II for forms):

Domicile and Organization

 Certificate of Incorporation
 Current Banking License
 Address of the Head Office
 Details of Any Subsidiaries (if relevant)
 Details of the Applicant Bank’s Group Structure (if relevant)

Ownership and Executive Management

 Copy of the Applicant Bank’s Latest Annual Report
 Names and Brief Background of Key Personnel – Board of Directors, Chief Executive and Chief
Financial Officer
 Information on the Ownership of the Applicant Bank (including names of any stock exchanges on
which it is listed)
 Information on Corporate Governance including Articles of Association or Company By-laws
 Name of the External Auditor

Types of Businesses and Customers

 Overview of the Products and Services the Applicant Bank provides to its customers
 Overview of the Applicant Bank’s Customer Groups

Regulatory Status and History

 Name of the Applicant Bank’s Regulator for Banking and Prudential Matters
 Name of the Applicant Bank’s Regulator for AML Matters

Anti-Money Laundering Controls

 A Completed Copy of the Wolfsberg Questionnaire (See Appendix II)
 A Copy of the AML Policies and Procedures
 A Copy of the USA Patriot Act Certification, if relevant (See Appendix II)
 Name and Contact Details of the Applicant Bank’s Compliance Officer

Certain items of information may be contained within the Applicant Bank’s Annual Report. If it is contained
within the Annual Report, the information does not need to be duplicated.

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Availability of the Core Due Diligence

Information
To enable the prompt provision of the information to support an application, and to ensure efficient
processing of the application, the Applicant Bank is recommended to compile the core information in
advance of making an application and to translate it into English, as necessary. It is preferable if one unit of
the bank is designated responsible for maintaining and updating the information.

The compliance information should be reviewed and updated at least once a year to ensure its accuracy and
the continuing validity of the banking license, etc.

Applicant Banks should note that once they have been successful in opening a correspondent account, the
Correspondent Bank will require the due diligence information to be kept up-to-date. Thus, updating the
information once a year will ensure that the Applicant Bank is able to meet the requirements for its current
correspondent accounts and be in position to promptly provide the correct information for any new bank
inquiry.

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Dissemination of the Core Due Diligence

Information
Many banks are able to rely upon electronic copies of documents for initial due diligence purposes. This
facilitates quick and easy dissemination of the required information by the Applicant Bank to support its
application, and enables subsequent updates to be sent easily. It is recommended that banks use this
capability when possible though they are reminded to ensure some form of security to prevent forgery and
unlawful copying.

Banks should note that Correspondent Banks that are looking to establish correspondent relationships in a
certain country, region or city, will often screen potential partner banks in those locations by examining the
information that is easily available to them before directly approaching the bank. As such, it is beneficial if
banks make available as much accurate, high quality due diligence information as possible on either their own
website or through the Bankers Almanac Due Diligence Repository, as discussed below.

Bank’s Website
A bank is normally able to store some of its due diligence information on its own website, and this means it
can be readily located by banks which need it. For example, an Annual Report is frequently posted on a
bank’s website, and many banks provide an overview of their AML/CFT policies. As the website is open to
all internet users, care should be taken to ensure that sensitive information, or information that the bank does
not wish to be widely available, is not posted.

Bankers’ Almanac
The Bankers' Almanac Due Diligence Repository was developed in association with the Wolfsberg Group in
2004 and is designed to provide a bank with the specific data needed to carry out due diligence checks. The
Repository also includes information regarding banks’ ownership structures. This Repository is a paid for
subscription product. While it is free for banks to include their documents, there is a cost to obtain
documents from the Repository. All the data is held in one place in a standardized format linked directly to
each institution's page on Bankersalmanac.com. This makes it useful in reducing the overhead involved in
sending out and responding to multiple requests from banks for due diligence information.

The Repository enables:

 Standardization of information on the site to include the majority of the due diligence information
which is typically requested by Correspondent Banks
 Due diligence information to be immediately accessible
 Efficient compilation of the required due diligence documents
 Documents have to meet a strict quality control process before they are published on the Repository
 Subsequent periodic updating of data is prompted by the Repository
 A bank to simply respond to a request for due diligence information by referring the requestors to
the Repository
 The due diligence information to be securely maintained as the site is only accessible to registered
subscribers
 A cost-effective mechanism for sharing due diligence information – it is free for banks to post their
information

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 The Due Diligence Repository can be accessed via the following link and contacts
www.bankersalmanac.com/addcon/products/due_diligence.aspx

Content Team
Bankersalmanac.com
Reed Business Information Ltd,
Windsor Court, East Grinstead House,
East Grinstead, West Sussex,
RH19 1XA, United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0) 1342 335887

Fax: + 44 (0) 1342 335940

Email: editorial@bankersalmanac.com
Web: bankersalmanac.com

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Further Information on Establishment and

Maintenance of Correspondent Banking
Accounts
The Wolfsberg Group frequently develops and shares best practice on issues relating to AML/CFT, some of
which concern the establishment and maintenance of correspondent accounts. For example, the site contains
Frequently Asked Questions about correspondent accounts. Banks are recommended to view the website
from time to time to remain informed of the latest international best practice.

The website is at: http://www.wolfsberg-principles.com/

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Appendix I
Checklist of Core Information Required

Type of Information Date Format* Available#

Domicile and Organization
1. Certificate of Incorporation
2. Current Banking License
3. Address of the Head Office
4. Details of Any Subsidiaries (if relevant)
5. Details of the Institution’s Group Structure (if relevant)

Ownership and Executive Management

6. Copy of its latest annual report
7. Names and Brief Background of Key Personnel – Board of Directors,
Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer
8. Information on the ownership of the institution, including names of
any stock exchanges on which it is listed
9. Information on Corporate Governance including Articles of
Association or Company By-laws
10. Name of the External Auditor

Types of Business and Customers

11. Overview of the Products and Services the Applicant Bank provides
to its customers
12. Overview of the Applicant Bank’s Customer Groups

Regulatory Status and History

13. Name of the Institution’s Regulator for Banking and Prudential
Matters
14. Name of the Institution’s Regulator for AML Matters

Anti-Money Laundering Controls

15. A completed copy of the Wolfsberg Questionnaire
16. Copies of the AML Policies and Procedures
17. Copy of the USA Patriot Act Certification (if relevant)
18. Name and Contact Details of the Compliance Officer

* Format – Paper (P) or Electronic (E)

# Available – Yes (Y) or No (N)

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Appendix II:
Templates of Forms (Blank)

Wolfsberg AML Questionnaire 17

(http://www.wolfsberg-principles.com/pdf/AML-Questionnaire-2008-2.pdf)

USA Patriot Act Certification 20

(www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/docs/appa.pdf)

NOTE: As amendments may be made to these forms from time to time, banks should download the latest
version of the forms from the respective web-sites prior to completion.

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USA PATRIOT ACT CERTIFICATION

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