What is an EUIN number ?
According to the SEBI circular CIR / IMD / DF/21/2012 of 13 September 2012, it directed AMFI to establish a unique identity number for every employee/relationship manager/salespersons of the distributors interacting with investors for advisory or to sell mutual funds. This unique number is in addition to the distributor's AMFI Registration Number (ARN). It is known as Employee Unique Identification Number (EUIN). EUIN is an alphanumeric identification number limited to seven digits, with one alphabet and six numerals, e.g. E654321 assigned to each Sales Person possessing a valid NISM certificate and associated with an ARN holder or a distributor.
What is the purpose of EUIN ?
EUIN number serves many purposes as discussed below:
- EUIN will help address the issue of miss-selling even if the employee/relationship manager/salesperson leaves the ARN holder / sub-broker employment.
- EUIN seeks to instill the employee/relationship manager/salesperson with a sales obligation and thereby make all the salespersons accountable for their actions.
- For Mutual Fund Investment, investors must use those application forms which have the space block for ARN code, Sub Broker ARN code, EUIN code, and Sub broker code (as allocated by ARN holder).
The EUIN number would remain active even if the employee moves jobs from one employer to another, thus assisting the audit trail.
Benefits of EUIN Number
There are many benefits of EUIN. The most important of these are:
Spotting Misselling: EUIN assists in dealing with the problem of misselling of units of mutual fund schemes even if the employee, relationship manager or the sales person leave the employment of the ARN holder or Sub broker.
Inculcate Responsibility: EUIN aims to inculcate responsibility to the employee, relationship manager or sales person; thereby making all salespersons/distributors responsible for their respective actions.
EUIN Registration
AMFI has allotted Employee Unique Identity Number (EUIN) to all employees, who are recognized with AMFI and have got valid registration. A photo identification card containing EUIN is also issued to new corporate employees after they have surrendered their former corporate employee ARN card.
The employees of the distributor will be issued an EUIN card containing EUIN, EUIN name, photo and date of validity.
With effect from 1 January 2013, it is mandatory for the EUIN to be displayed on the application forms for the mutual fund schemes.
EUIN given to employees/salespersons will remain the same, even if they leave their job and join any other ARN holder for Mutual Fund sales/marketing. Employees are required to submit duly filled forms for mapping EUIN to effect such change in AMFI's records.
Here is the link for the new registration EUIN form - http://portal.amfiindia.com/spages/ARNcorporateemp.pdf.
In the following scenarios, employees of ARN holders are required to fill out the EUIN mapping form and send the duly filled & signed form to CAMS along with the necessary documents.
- To dissociate from current ARN mapping for doing own business.
- Moving the EUIN mapping from the present ARN to a different ARN (in case of work change)
- Canceling EUIN
Rules and Regulations imposed for EUIN Registration
CAMS AMFI Unit shall produce EUIN for distributor’s employees who are registered with AMFI and who have a valid ARN. EUIN shall also be issued to individual agents, who are ARN holders in their individual capacity.
Corporate ARN holders cannot conduct business or make any transactions related to mutual funds without registering their employees under their ARN with AMFI or without renewing the current employee’s registrations. Their ARN will be subject to termination if they do not make their employees registered who participate in the activities of selling, advisory or marketing of mutual funds.
This EUIN quotation is mandatory for transactions such as Purchases, Switches, SIP / STP / Trigger STP / Dividend Sweep Plans Registration. And for contributions or transfers under SIP / STP / SWP / STP Triggers, Dividend re-investments, Reward Units, Redemption, SWP Registration, Zero Balance Folio Formation and Dividend Sweep Plans, quoting of EUIN is not required.
EUIN is applicable for all the transactions that are made on the basis of advice provided by the distributor's employee.
Types of transactions covered under EUIN
EUIN is compulsory for transactions such as purchase, transfers, and the systematic investment plan (SIP) and systematic transfer plan (STP) registration.
EUIN does not refer to transactions such as the systematic withdrawal plan registration, continuing SIP / STP / SWP payments, dividend reinvestments, development of zero balance folios, and redemptions.
EUIN quotes are available only in 'consultative transactions' and not in 'execution-only' transactions. In their application forms, fund houses have provided a provision for capturing EUIN along with the ARN code and the sub-broker code.
CAMS-AMFI Unit
CAMS AMFI Unit maintains the EUIN database. And If any of the distributor’s salespersons quit the job, they are expected to intimate AMFI immediately about it. Distributor employees must be registered with AMFI and should keep an EUIN, failing which the distributor will not be paid any commissions.
Renewal of EUIN
EUIN holders need to apply for EUIN renewal on or before six months from the expiry of the EUIN's validity period. If the application for renewal is submitted before the expiry of the EUIN validity period and the same is found in order, the validity period of EUIN, post renewal, will be continuous.
If the application for renewal is submitted after the expiry of EUIN, the validity of the renewed EUIN will start from the date of submission of the application for renewal and will be valid until the date of validity indicated on the NISM passing certificate / CPE certificate for individual / senior citizens / employees.
For individuals and employees, EUIN's extension is subject to either completing the NISM Mutual Fund Distributors Certification Review or undertaking the NISM Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program. Senior citizens will attend CPE.
They would need to fill the EUIN Renewal form which can be downloaded from the AMFI website and submit the form at a CAMS-POS along with attaching the copy of NISM VA/CPE certification, passport size photographs and the applicable renewal fees as per the category of distributor.
Form & Fee Details Link: https://www.amfiindia.com/distributor-corner/become-mutual-fund-distributor#:~:text=They%20(Individuals%2C%20senior%20citizens%20and,two%20stamp%20size%20color%20photographs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is EUIN ?
A. EUIN or Employee Unique Identification Number is a unique identification number allotted to the employee/ salespersons/relationship managers of the AMFI registered distributors interacting with the investors for the sale of mutual fund schemes.
Q. What is required if the investor wishes to change the EUIN?
A. The EUIN can be updated if it is issued within the stipulated remediation period (30 days from the transaction date submitted after October 1, 2013). The investor must ensure that the EUIN is legitimate and comes under the ARN holder which has not expired.
Q. Would it be agreed if the transaction is conducted through an ARN holder or distributor but the slip doesn’t mention EUIN?
A. In such a scenario, slips of the transaction would be acknowledged subject to authorized Enforcement. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that EUIN is clearly listed on the slip to prevent errors in the data capture.
And in rare cases, the AMCs might have to take the declaration from the investor rightfully stating that he was not involved with any salesperson for advisory or execution-related transactions.
Q. How long is the EUIN registration valid for ?
A. EUIN has a 3-year validity period. This period ends as of the NISM / CPE certificate issued by NISM.
Q. For validation purposes, EUIN will be matched with the main ARN or sub-broker ARN ?
A. EUIN will be matched with the EUIN Master provided by CAMS 'AMFI unit.
If Main ARN, Sub Broker ARN, and EUIN are given, then EUIN will be matched with only the Sub Broker ARN.
If Main ARN and EUIN are provided but no Sub Broker ARN is provided, then EUIN will be matched with the main ARN in this case
Q. What is an invalid EUIN ?
A. The following cases will consider an EUIN invalid:
- EUIN is not accessible via the EUIN master provided by the CAMS AMFI machine.
- EUIN beyond time of validity
- EUIN not listed and declaration not given in application form
- Incorrect EUIN information in request form
- EUIN Transition (EUIN switching from one ARN to another ARN but not updated in the CAMS AMFI-unit database).
Q. To whom EUIN number is issued ?
A. It is allotted to all the salespersons of the ARN Holders. Also, the sole proprietors or individual ARN holders are allotted EUIN numbers.
Q. In what kind of transactions EUIN is applicable ?
A. EUIN would be applicable in transactions like Purchases, Switches, SIP / STP / Trigger STP / Dividend Sweep Plans Registration.
Q. In what kind of transactions EUIN is not applicable ?
A. EUIN would not be applicable in transactions like ongoing SIP / STP / SWP / STP, Dividend re-investments, Reward Units, Redemption, SWP Registration, Zero Balance Folio Formation, and Dividend Sweep Plans.
Q. How is EUIN number different from an ARN number ?
A. An ARN number is common to the entire organization, while the EUIN is unique for an employee. These unique numbers helps deal with the instances of misselling of mutual funds by an employee of an organization even after the employee leaves the organization.
Q. How does EUIN help an investor ?
A. When routing an application form, SIP form or a transaction form through a distributor, a valid ARN code, sub-broker ARN code or EUIN helps verify the legitimacy of the intermediary. Thus, safeguarding the investors and his/her investments.
Q. Is it mandatory to enter EUIN in the transaction or application form along with the Distributor Code ?
A. Yes. Since October 1, 2013, it is mandatory to provide EUIN of the concerned sales person in the application form or transaction slips for all transactions, including transactions through stock exchanges. Moreover, one should also mention the ARN code/sub-broker ARN code/sub-broker code, as and when applicable. ARN holders must ensure that the sub broker affixes their ARN code as well as the sales person’s EUIN in the separate columns in the application forms/transaction slips. Online distributors and channel distributors must provide the EUIN in the electronic transaction feeds.
Q. Is EUIN’s validity linked to the ARN holder’s validity ?
A. No. The EUIN and ARN have their own validity. This facilitates the movement of an employee (EUIN holder) from one company (ARN holder) to another company (ARN holder).
Q. Are transaction charges applicable for invalid EUIN transactions and paid to distributor ?
A. Transaction charges are also referred to as Incidental Expenses. These charges are deducted for invalid EUIN transactions and paid to the distributor.
More Information:
Mutual Fund Distributor Commission Structure
Become Mutual Fund Advisor