As part of an effective customer due diligence process and to implement Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, banks in Qatar are urging customers to keep their recorded documents such as passports and QIDs updated in their systems. Customers who intentionally ignore routine reminders from banks, and neglect to update their expired passports on record, may have their bank accounts blocked. However, customers with valid concerns related to their passport renewals may receive a more considerate approach, an official has said.
With COVID-19 restrictions currently in place, a number of embassies in Qatar have shifted to online appointments for the passport renewals of their citizens, some of which are facing long waiting lists. The Philippine Embassy in Doha currently has its online appointments fully booked until July.
Daniele, an IT professional in a construction company in Doha, has also been receiving routine bank messages to update his passport. He booked an appointment for his passport renewal at the Philippine embassy in December, and now risks having an expired passport after receiving a passport renewal appointment scheduled in June.
“Latest documents are part of due diligence and KYC regulations. The bank has the responsibility to make sure that the latest customer documents are on record. We run these processes regularly. And if a document is expired, including a passport or QID of a customer, we send them multiple reminders to renew the latest document on record. And we have a very convenient process to record it through the mobile app. If a customer does not respond in some cases, we may block the account,” Amit Sah, EGM and Head of Retail Banking at Commercial Bank told The Peninsula recently.
He added: “With specific issues of customers who are facing problems with renewal of passports, and this was a problem particularly when the blockade was on and some embassies were not functioning here, or because of the pandemic, we are taking a much more lenient approach and we are allowing waivers for those customers to get their passports renewed. If a customer cannot get a passport renewed, we give them extension to renew it. They should let us know and we will definitely be very accommodating. Most people do get their passports renewed, it’s just that they are not updating on the system”.
In a statement to The Peninsula, First Secretary and Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Qatar, Roussel Reyes, said the Embassy is also accommodating numerous requests from applicants with urgent reasons. He added that the Embassy can extend the validity of an applicant’s passport if he/she has an urgent travel or urgent need of a valid passport. Applicants may visit the Embassy during office hours, with no appointment needed, and request for a passport validity extension which will also be released on the same day.
“However, requests for passport validity extension are assessed on a case-to-case basis. Thus; applicants are advised to present supporting documents and/or proof of urgency,” he added.
