Protection of Personal data/Why are banks asking questions?

What is customer identification?

According to the regulations, a bank must identify the client prior to establishing a business relationship. A bank identifies a natural person by requesting the presentation of a valid personal identification document.

Types of valid personal identification documents are passports (citizens’ passports, noncitizens’ passports, diplomatic passports, service passports, stateless persons’ travel documents, asylum-seekers’ travel documents, travel documents of persons with alternative status) and personal identification cards (citizens’ personal identification cards, non-citizens’ personal identification cards, personal identification cards of staff members of an international organisation accredited in Latvia, personal identification cards of representatives of a diplomatic or consular office, and ID cards issued to persons under temporary protection).

When identifying a legal person, a bank checks documents which prove:

  • the establishment or registration of the legal person;
  • the customer's legal address;
  • the power of attorney or other documents which establish the rights of a specific natural person to represent the legal person in business relationships with the bank. 

Other questions

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