DoT relaxes OTP norms for G20 attendees

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has relaxed the one-time-password (OTP) authentication for digital-KYC while obtaining a new mobile number for foreign nationals visiting India for the G20 Summit, it said in a notification Thursday.

The authority said that the decision has been taken after it received reports that foreign nationals, dignitaries and officials visiting India for the global summit are facing difficulties in obtaining mobile connections as they are unable to provide an alternate number on which they can receive an OTP as a signature for the D-KYC process.

“In this regard, it has been decided by the competent authority that as a one- time measure, the requirement of obtaining signature of the customer by sending OTP on the alternate mobile number, as mentioned in para j. of D-KYC instructions dated 03.04.2019, is hereby made optional for issuing the mobile connections to the foreign nationals, dignitaries and officials visiting India for the purpose of G20 summit,” the DoT said in the notification.


It further clarified that this relaxation is application only to foreign nationals visiting the country to attend the G20 Summit and that for all other foreign nationals, the existing rules for obtaining a new mobile number shall continue to apply.