Due to risks of illicit transactions, most jurisdictions require financial institutions to obtain information about...

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations, as cited in the Fraud Examiners Manual, require enhanced due diligence in correspondent banking relationships. Specifically, banks must“avoid correspondent banking with shell banks”and ensure the foreign institution is properly licensed and regulated.

This means financial institutions must confirm that the foreign correspondent bank holds the necessarylicenses or certificationsto operate legitimately.

Other options (branch addresses, tax statements, or client loan profiles) are not mandated under FATF’s correspondent banking due diligence requirements. The most critical factor is verifying the correspondent institution’slegal authorization (licenses/certifications)to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.