Client Engagement Procedures

Private Client Identification

Our overriding statutory duty regarding the prevention of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering, means that we are committed to undertaking full and thorough due diligence of both our clients’ identities and the nature of their businesses.

Whilst we respect the confidentiality of our clients, we are obliged by law to obtain the following information relating to all beneficial owners, directors, shareholders, bank account signatories and all parties connected in any way to any company, business entity, trust or foundation we may form or administer:

Proof of Identity
Proof of Residential Address
In addition, the provision of a signed, detailed Curriculum Vitae is sometimes mandatory and always useful.

Proof of Identity
1. To establish the identity and signature of all parties, clients must provide a copy of one of the following:

Current Valid Full Passport
Current Valid National ID Card

2. Such copy must bear a clear photograph, the holders signature and the document number.

3. The copy must be certified any of the following:

A notary public
A lawyer
A banker
Another professional person.

4. The person making the certification must be a member of a professional organisation that publishes certified lists of its members and the professional body must be clearly identified under their signature.

5. The documents sent to us must bear the original signature of the person certifying the identity document; it must not be a copy.

6. The person certifying the Proof of Identity must have sight of the original document and certify the copy in the presence of the individual concerned by inserting the following text on the copy:

Having seen the individual and the identification documentation at the same time, I certify this is a true copy of the original and that the photograph is a reasonable likeness.

Signature
Name
Phone No:
Position / Capacity
Company
Address:
Email Address:
Date

Proof of Residential Address
To validate the home address of all parties mentioned in your application, please provide ONE of the following dated within the last three months, for each party:

Original utility bill (a telephone bill [mobile telephone bills are not acceptable], electricity etc.).
Original bank or mortgage statement from a recognised bank.
Original credit card statement.
Original bank reference, confirming the home address, from a recognised bank.

If you are unable to supply any of these documents you should contact us.

Curriculum Vitae
In order to understand our clients’ backgrounds and to assist in the opening of bank accounts we require information about our clients’ work experience, education and qualifications. Additionally, regulations in certain jurisdictions oblige Meridien International to hold C.V.s on each of its clients.

Source of Wealth
A statement is required from the principal(s) offering a brief description as to the origins of his/her wealth and the period over which the wealth was generated.

Delivery
These may be faxed to us for review but the originals must be sent to us by courier or mail and regretfully we cannot undertake work until the originals have been received. All documents must be in English or if not then a translation from an independent and accredited translator should be attached.