Access to Basic Banking

Section 627.17, 627.18 and 627.19 of the Bank Act require banks to ensure that basic banking services are available to all individuals. These sections are applicable when an individual opens, in person, a retail deposit account with a bank as long as prescribed conditions are met.

This document sets out important information you need to know to open a personal deposit account with ICICI Bank Canada (“the Bank”) regarding "Access to Basic Banking".

I. Account Opening

When you open a retail deposit account with the Bank, you must do the following.

1. Present to us identification or documents using one of the following methods
   1. two documents from a reliable source — one of which indicates your name and address and the other your name and date of birth — including
      1. identification issued by the Government of Canada or the government of a province,
      2. recent notices of tax assessments issued by the Government of Canada or the government of a province or municipality,
      3. recent statements of benefits from the Government of Canada or the government of a province,
      4. recent Canadian public utility bills,
      5. recent bank account or credit card statements, and
      6. Foreign passports.
   2. Two pieces of identification from among those set out in Schedule A or B of this document, at least one of which is from among those set out in Schedule A. And one piece of the identification presented to the Bank is a government-issued photo ID and should bear your signature and photograph; or
   3. any document from a reliable source that indicates your name and date of birth, along with a written confirmation of your identity by an existing client in good standing with the Bank or by an individual of good standing in the community where the branch is located.
2. The documents you present to the Bank must be original, current (i.e. not expired) and not substantially defaced.
3. You shall disclose, verbally or in writing, the information listed in Schedule C of this document if the information is not available on the pieces of identification presented by you.
4. If the name shown on one of the pieces of identification presented by you substantially differs from the name shown on any other identification presented by you, then in that case, you shall provide a certificate evidencing the change of name that has occurred or a certified copy of that certificate.
5. Provide your consent to the Bank to verify the pieces of identification presented by you and for the Bank to verify whether any of the following circumstances apply to you:
   1. if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the retail deposit account will be used for illegal or fraudulent purposes;
   2. if you have a history of illegal or fraudulent activity in relation to providers of financial services and the most recent instance of such activity occurred less than seven years before the day on which the request to open a retail deposit account is made;
   3. if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that you have knowingly made a material misrepresentation in the information provided to the Bank for the purpose of opening the account;
   4. if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that it is necessary to refuse to open the personal deposit account in order to protect the customers or employees of the Bank from physical harm, harassment or other abuse.

   The Bank may refuse to open the account if any of the above circumstances are met.

6. if the Bank — based on its verification of the documents presented by you or based on any information provided by you in connection with the request — has reasonable grounds to suspect that there is misrepresentation, the Bank may request additional identification documents to verify your identity.

If we refuse to open the account, we will provide you a letter informing you of our refusal to open the account along with information on how to file a complaint with the Bank and how to contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

II. Cashing Certain Government of Canada Cheques and other Instruments

Section 627.25 and 627.26 of the Bank Act require banks to cash certain Government of Canada cheques and other instruments on the request made in person by an individual at any branch in Canada where the bank opens retail deposit accounts and disburses cash to customers.

This document sets out important information you need to know to cash certain government cheques as a non-customer with the Bank with reference to Section 627.25 of the Bank Act.

1. If you are not a customer of the Bank who wishes the Bank to cash certain Government of Canada cheques and other instruments, then you shall present to the Bank identification or documents from one of the following methods:
   1. two documents from a reliable source — one of which indicates your name and address and the other your name and date of birth — including
      1. identification issued by the Government of Canada or the government of a province,
      2. recent notices of tax assessments issued by the Government of Canada or the government of a province or municipality,
      3. recent statements of benefits from the Government of Canada or the government of a province,
      4. recent Canadian public utility bills,
      5. recent bank account or credit card statements, and
      6. foreign passports.
   2. One piece of identification issued by the Government of Canada or the government of a province and that bears your signature and photograph; or
   3. any document from a reliable source that indicates your name and date of birth, along with a written confirmation of your identity by an existing client in good standing with the Bank or by an individual of good standing in the community where the branch is located.
2. The document you present to the Bank must be original, current (i.e. not expired) and not substantially defaced.
3. The cheque or other instrument is drawn on the Receiver General or on the Receiver General’s account in the Bank of Canada or in any bank or other deposit-taking Canadian financial institution incorporated by or under an Act of Parliament or is any other instrument issued as authority for the payment of money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund;
4. If the name shown on one of the pieces of identification presented by you differs from the name shown on any other identification presented by you, then in that case, you shall provide a certificate evidencing the change of name that has occurred or a certified copy of that certificate.
5. An individual is considered not to be a customer of the Bank if the individual does not have a personal deposit account with the Bank and does not hold a credit card issued by the Bank.
6. The maximum amount of Government of Canada cheque cashed by the Bank is $1750.00
7. ICICI Bank Canada will not charge fees for cashing a Government of Canada cheque.
8. If we refuse to cash certain Government of Canada cheques and other instruments, we will provide you a letter informing you of our refusal to cash the cheque along with information on how to file a complaint with the Bank and how to contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

III. Schedules

Schedule A

1. Driver's license issued in Canada as permitted to be used for identification purposes under provincial law
2. Certificate of Canadian Citizenship or Certification of Naturalization in the form of a paper document or card but not a commemorative issue
3. Canadian passport
4. Permanent Resident Card or Citizenship and Immigration Canada Form IMM 1000, IMM 1442, IMM 5292 or IMM 5688
5. Birth Certificate issued in Canada
6. Old Age Security card issued by the Government of Canada bearing the Social Insurance Number of the person named on the card
7. Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada
8. Provincial or Territorial Health Insurance card as permitted to be used for identification purposes under provincial or territorial law
9. BC Services Card. (In British Columbia, a BC Services Card may indicate it is a Services Card and a driver’s licence. BC residents cannot have both a BC driver’s licence and a BC Services Card). The BC Services Card will be considered as one piece of identification.
10. A document or card, bearing the individual's photograph and signature, issued by any of the following authorities or their successors:
    1. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.
    2. Alberta Registries
    3. Saskatchewan Government Insurance
    4. Department of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
    5. Department of Transportation and Public Works of the Province of Prince Edward Island
    6. Department of Service New Brunswick
    7. Department of Government Services and Lands of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
    8. Department of Community Government and Transportation of the Territory of Nunavut
    9. Department of Transportation of the Northwest Territories
11. Global Entry Card (US)
12. NEXUS Card (US or Canada)
13. Foreign Driver’s License
14. PAN card (issued by India)
15. Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), bearing your photograph and signature
16. Valid Foreign Passport

 Schedule B

1. Employee identity card, issued by an employer that is well known in the community, bearing the individual's photograph
2. Bank or automated banking machine or client card, issued by a member of the Canadian Payments Association in the name of, or bearing the name of, the individual and bearing the individual's signature
3. Credit card, issued by a member of the Canadian Payments Association in the name of, or bearing the name of, the individual and bearing the individual's signature

Schedule C

1. The individual's name
2. The individual's date of birth
3. The individual's address, if any
4. The individual's occupation, if any

IV. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Are there any circumstances in which you can refuse to open a personal deposit account for me?

A: Yes. Under the Access to Basic Banking Services Regulations, even if an individual provides the required identification and information, the Bank can still refuse to open a personal deposit account for that individual:

1. if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that the personal deposit account will be used for illegal or fraudulent purposes;
2. if the individual has a history of illegal or fraudulent activity in relation to providers of financial services and if the most recent instance of such activity occurred less than seven years before the day on which the request to open a personal deposit account is made;
3. if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that the individual, for the purpose of opening the personal deposit account, knowingly made a material misrepresentation in the information provided to the Bank
4. if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that it is necessary to refuse to open the personal deposit account in order to protect the customers or employees of the Bank from physical harm, harassment or other abuse;  or
5. if the request is made at a branch or point of service of the Bank at which the only retail deposit accounts offered are those that are linked to an account at another financial institution.

Q: What kind of cheques can the bank cash for an individual who is not a bank customer?

A: In general, we can cash Government of Canada cheques up to $1,500.00 for an individual who is not a customer of the Bank. Under the Access to Basic Banking Services Regulations, the Bank is not obliged to cash a Government of Canada cheque or other instrument if there is evidence that the cheque or other instrument has been altered in any way or is counterfeit or if the Bank has reasonable grounds to believe that there has been illegal or fraudulent activity in relation to the cheque or other instrument.

V. Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Access to Basic Banking Services Regulations or wish to make a complaint, you may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) at:

Mail:
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
427 Laurier Avenue West
6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9

Toll-free:
English: 1-866-461-FCAC (3222)
French: 1-866-461-ACFC (2232)

Toll-free Fax:
1-866-814-2224

Website:
www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/corporate/contact-us.html