e-StampNotary
Why a bank asks for an affidavit at all
A bank does not ask for an affidavit because it doubts you exist. It asks because two of its records do not agree, and its own procedure will not let the officer decide the point on the counter. The affidavit gives the branch a dated, sworn explanation to place on the file so that the discrepancy is closed by you rather than by a clerk's note.
What the notary does is narrow. Section 8(1)(e) of the Notaries Act, 1952 permits a notary to administer an oath to, or take an affidavit from, any person; section 8(2) makes it a notarial act only under the notary's signature and official seal. That certifies your appearance and your swearing. It does not certify the contents, and it does not turn the affidavit into proof of identity.
Banks work to a defined list of documents for identity and address. An affidavit sits alongside that list to explain a mismatch - it does not stand in place of a document you do not have. If the branch has said it needs an officially valid document, a notarised page will not fill the hole.
The five situations we see most
- Name spelt differently across PAN, Aadhaar and the account - an expanded initial, a father's name used as a middle name, a surname spelt two ways. The correct instrument is usually a one and same person affidavit naming every version and confirming they are the same individual.
- Name changed after marriage or by deed, where the account still shows the earlier name. See name change affidavit; the bank will normally want the supporting evidence too, not the affidavit alone.
- Signature difference. The specimen on record no longer matches how you sign. The affidavit confirms both signatures are yours; the branch will usually take a fresh specimen in its own presence as well.
- Address no longer matching. Where you have no document in the new address, some branches accept a declaration supported by the landlord's confirmation - see rent declaration affidavit.
- Dormant or inoperative account being reactivated, or a long-unused locker, where the branch wants a statement of the reason for the gap.
Getting the drafting right
A KYC affidavit that does not quote the account number is close to useless, and that is the single most common defect. It should also name the branch, state your customer identification number if you have it, set out every version of the disputed particular in full, and state which version you want the bank to adopt going forward. Where a signature is in issue, both signatures should appear on the affidavit itself and be identified in the text. Keep it to one page. Claims and KYC officers read a great many of these and a short precise page moves faster than a long one.
What gets these rejected
- No account number, or an account number that has since changed after a branch merger.
- The bank's own printed format ignored. Many banks have one, and if they do, theirs wins.
- The affidavit stating a name or address that matches neither the record nor the proof attached - a third version.
- Sworn by a relative or an agent rather than by the account holder.
- Used to sidestep a document the branch actually needs, such as proof of address for a fresh account.
- Submitted as a photocopy where the branch keeps the sworn original.
Where the account holder has died
This is not a KYC problem and should not be dealt with as one. The claim runs on the institution's death claim procedure, an indemnity, and the heirship position - see death claim affidavit and legal heir affidavit. A nominee is a receiver, not an owner: the nominee may lawfully be paid, but holds for those entitled under succession law or under a will.
Stamp duty as currently prescribed under the Gujarat Stamp Act, 1958 - we confirm the current figure at the counter. Taking the affidavit on oath is capped at ₹35 under Rule 10(1) of the Notaries Rules, 1956. A receipt is issued and the entry is made in the notarial register in Form XV.
Ask the branch first
Before you buy stamp paper, ask the branch officer for the requirement in writing, or at least a note of the format and what supporting proof must accompany it. A number of banks now accept a plain self-declaration on their own form for smaller discrepancies, with no stamp and no notary at all. We will tell you when that is the honest answer.
What to bring
- Passbook or a recent statement showing the account number and branch
- Aadhaar and PAN, originals plus photocopies
- The bank's letter, SMS or note stating exactly what it has flagged
- Any document carrying the other version of your name, address or signature
- Marriage certificate or gazette notification, where the name changed
- The bank's own affidavit format, if it has given you one