The Reserve Bank of India has amended its know your customer directions for rural cooperative banks to allow foreign portfolio investors to submit certified copies of identity documents through an alternative overseas certification process. The facility, previously available to nonresident Indians and persons of Indian origin, takes effect immediately. Foreign portfolio investors may have copies certified by authorized officials at overseas branches of Indian scheduled commercial banks, branches of overseas banks that have relationships with Indian banks, foreign notaries public, court magistrates, judges or Indian embassies and consulates. This provides an alternative to a bank officer comparing the copy of an Aadhaar possession document or other officially valid document with the original.