Referring to the third edition of the instructions for the models of cards for tying the denominations of the sixth series of banknotes, communicated under Circular No. 42018358 dated 22/03/1442 H, and to the issuance of the 200-riyal denomination for circulation on 13/09/1442 H, in order to ensure consistency in the color of the banknote tying cards among banks, and SAMA's branches with the current and previous issues.

Attached is the fourth edition of the instructions for the models of cards for tying the denominations of the sixth series of banknotes, which includes the addition of the card model for tying the 200-riyal denomination, replacing the third edition referenced above.

Please take note and implement this within three months from the date of this notice.

Reference to SAMA Circular No. 1712/BC/88 dated 6/2/1416 H and No. 3851/BC/124 dated 2/4/1410 H and other circulars regarding the implementation of Saudization in jobs within banks, and in continuation of the efforts made by SAMA and the banks in localizing jobs and qualifying Saudis to fill them, and due to the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve the desired goals in line with general directions, SAMA emphasizes the necessity of adhering to the following:

First) Citizens Employment  

1. The goal is to localize all jobs, of various types and levels, including top leadership and supervisory positions, and not to limit Saudization to certain jobs only. Employment contracts with non-Saudi employees should be considered only if a qualified Saudi candidate is not available at the time, while taking into consideration the stipulations stated in The Labor Law issued by the Royal Decree No. M/51 dated 23/8/1426 H In this regard.
2. Appointment and employment in all positions at branches, remittance centers, and cash centers are restricted to Saudis only, without specifying the type of job. Efforts should be made to completely replace non-Saudi employees with Saudi employees by a maximum date of 31/12/2013 G. It is allowed to hire one non-Saudi employee at remittance centers if the bank or money exchange deems the presence of such an employee necessary, provided that their role is limited to assisting and serving customers without having access to the bank's data and automated systems, or conducting banking operations, or opening customer accounts*.
3. The appointment to all positions involving financial transactions, the transfer of money, and related roles, as well as positions related to information security and those concerning the combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism, is restricted to Saudi nationals only across all departments of the bank, exchange offices, branches, and affiliated remittance centers.
4. Develop programs and specific timelines for the Saudization of all jobs and provide them to SAMA within three months from this date. Work on recruiting, training, and qualifying national cadres to replace non-Saudis in these positions within a specified period.
5. Prohibition of direct and indirect dealings with any entities or individuals working as marketers of banking services within the Kingdom on behalf of foreign banks or financial entities and banning the presence of representatives of such entities within the bank, exchange office, or any of its branches or affiliated centers.
6. Develop plans and schedules for training and qualifying Saudis in accordance with the aforementioned instructions and provide them to SAMA within two months from this date.

Second) Adherence to the requirements of contracting with employment service companies

1. Selecting companies specialized in providing employment, support services, and verifying the integrity of the contracts concluded with them, as well as ensuring their compliance with and fulfillment of the requirements of SAMA and relevant authorities.
2. Ensuring that all employees are working legally and that their job roles correspond to the tasks assigned to them, as well as matching what is recorded in their work permits and residence permits.

Third) Assign the Human Resources Department to develop a plan for the localization of jobs, to train and qualify their occupants, and to begin its implementation. Also, assign the Compliance Department to monitor and oversee its implementation according to the above requirements and to prepare reports at the end of each quarter on the progress of job localization and training until the end of the period.

*According to Circular No. (21755/41) dated 6/4/1440 H, SAMA emphasizes the restriction of all currency exchange business roles (category (A, B)) to Saudis and the necessity of training Saudi employees and enrolling them in suitable training programs that match the nature of their work. Currency exchange institutions and companies must take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance, provided that the time period for Saudization of jobs does not exceed a maximum of January 29, 2020 G. Note that SAMA will take all regulatory measures against exchange institutions and companies that do not adhere to this directive.

According to Circular No. (18910/41) dated 21/03/1440 H, the categories that are treated equivalent to Saudis must be counted in the Saudization rates, in accordance with what is issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and disclosed in the data submitted to SAMA.

Referring to the letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Interior, "may God protect him," No. 225703 dated 28/08/1438 H, regarding the recommendations from the Crime Research Center to require large companies and commercial establishments to contract with cash transfer companies and to use high-specification security bags, and to SAMA Circular No. 371000093183 dated 22/08/1437 H based on the letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Interior, "may God protect him," No. 126563 dated 14/05/1437 H, regarding the approval of the results of the security committee formed by the General Security, the Ministry of Finance, and SAMA to review and update the necessary standards and conditions and impose strict and precise controls for conducting the activity of transporting cash, precious metals, and valuable documents to require all companies operating in this field to comply with them. This includes the adoption of using containers for transporting cash, which enable automated tracking and self-destruction of cash if diverted from the proposed route, instead of the current fabric containers.

Therefore, compliance with the instructions mentioned above is required, and cash should only be transported for large companies and commercial establishments through licensed cash transfer companies, using security bags approved by SAMA. Please note that SAMA will conduct field visits to ensure the implementation of these recommendations and impose penalties against violators.

Due to the availability of information regarding certain representatives of private security companies and cash transport companies from non-Saudis negotiating with local banks when seeking to provide security services or cash transport.

SAMA emphasizes to all banks the importance of not engaging or negotiating with any non-Saudi representative of these companies and institutions. They must also inform the relevant authority in the region about the company or institution employing the non-Saudi representative to take the necessary legal actions against them. Furthermore, SAMA reiterates the importance of full compliance with its issued directives regarding compliance with The Law of Private Security Services and its Implementing Regulations, as well as The Law of Transporting Cash, Precious Metals, and Valuable Documents and its Implementing Regulations.

Referring to the telegram from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Interior (may God protect him), No. 126563, dated 14/05/1437H, which includes the approval of the results of the security committee formed by (Public Security - Ministry of Finance - and SAMA) to review and update the necessary standards and conditions, and to impose strict and precise regulations for practicing the activity of transporting  cash, precious metals, and negotiable instruments, requiring all companies operating in this field to comply with them.

Based on this, the committee concluded with a number of recommendations concerning banks and cash transport companies, as follows:

1. Require banks to enhance oversight of the performance of contracted companies inside cash centers, adhere to specific procedures and mechanisms for receiving and delivering cash, and impose necessary penalties on violating banks.
    
2. Separate the tasks and responsibilities related to cash transportation from those related to replenishing ATMs:
   • Companies must adhere to the regulations and guidelines for the transport vehicle crew involved in cash transportation, consisting of three members (driver, guard, and companion). The guard and companion should be equipped with the necessary firearms.
      
   • When using a transport vehicle for ATM replenishment, the two-person replenishment team (supervisor and replenisher) should never accompany the armored vehicle crew. Instead, they should travel in a civilian vehicle displaying the company logo, following the armored vehicle’s route. This setup will result in a five-person ATM replenishment team (three inside the armored vehicle and two in the civilian vehicle).
      
   • Cash replenishment boxes for ATMs must be filled, secured inside specialized containers, and sealed by an independent team from the cash transport company. This process should be under dual supervision and monitored by CCTV inside cash centers. The ATM replenishment team’s role should be limited to transporting the secured containers and replenishing ATMs according to a preassigned route provided at the start of the workday.
      
   • A separate team (from the bank or the company) at the cash center should be responsible for counting and reconciling the returned cash from ATMs according to the readings from the ATM counters and the bank’s system.
      
3. Implement the use of high-standard cash transport containers as practiced in developed countries, which enable automatic tracking and self-destruction of the cash if the proposed route is altered, replacing the current fabric containers.
    
4. Leverage credit information from the Credit Information Company (SIMAH) to review the credit history of individuals applying for jobs at cash transport companies and other legitimate sources to assess the suitability of employees in this field.
    
5. Provide SAMA with the procedures and mechanisms followed by the bank to monitor the performance of companies contracted for cash transport and ATM replenishment. This includes doubling supervision and monitoring the movement of cash transport vehicles, precious metals, and negotiable instruments, as well as tracking the time allocated for cash transport and ATM replenishment to and from the bank premises. Additionally, review the rotation of employees in cash centers, cash transport, and ATM replenishment, and work on improving training programs to enhance the performance and efficiency of employees in both the contracted companies and banks.
    

Therefore, we request that you proceed with the swift implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations and provide us with an update within two weeks from this date. It is worth noting that arrangements are currently being made to allow licensed cash transport companies to establish their own cash processing units to serve the ATMs of all the banks they contract with, following the necessary approvals from SAMA and the Ministry of Interior. These units will be governed by unified security standards, procedures, and requirements. The license for operating such cash processing units will be granted for a maximum of three years, renewable, with the aim of improving service levels and preparing local companies to manage and operate unified cash centers, which will be established by SAMA.

Referring to the agreement with the Customs Authority regarding the mechanism related to handling the entry and exit of Saudi and foreign currency through the King Fahd Causeway customs, please adhere to and implement the following directives:

Further to SAMA's circular No. 5922/BCI/62 dated 08/04/1421H, which includes specific guidelines for feeding ATMs, particularly the paragraph concerning the necessity of coordination and notification of security authorities during the cash transfer, we inform you that SAMA has received a letter from its branch in Buraidah containing observations from the Qassim Region Police on the reporting process. These reports are being received upon the arrival of the feeding officials at the ATMs, which disrupts the work of the security authorities and results in delays in the security agencies carrying out their duties.

Therefore, we hope to inform and ensure coordination with the security authorities for transportation operations in a timely manner so that the security authorities can perform their duties as required in various regions and governorates of the Kingdom.

In Reference to our previous circulars No. BC/588 dated 24-9-1415, No. BC/353 dated 10-7-1415 and No. BC 214 dated 1-8-1414, regarding internal controls presently applied on ATMs and POSs and the procedures and problems connected therewith; and

In view of the increase of complaints by some people who insist that they are not receiving the money they ask for from ATM; and

In view of the importance of this matter in enhancing public confidence in the banking sector in general and the ATM and POS services in particular,

SAMA would like to emphasize the following:

1. Banks must conduct a daily inventory of all ATMs, whether inside or outside branch premises.

2. Banks must use SAMA's ATM Balancing Sheet by those in charge of feeding the ATM, signed by the teller and approved by the section head or the cashier.

3. Cash surplus found in the ATM (resulting from the daily inventory and belonging to the clients who did not cash it for technical reasons) must be paid immediately to the client without his request. Claims among banks should be settled within one week from the date of the claim through CAPS.

4. Banks must settle such claims with their clients (debits or credits) within one week from the date of the claim. If the claim is rejected the bank has to explain the reasons.

5. If requested by SAMA, the bank has to submit the operation receipt, the journal tape and the daily inventory minutes in one week at the latest in order to settle these claims the soonest possible.

6. In addition to the daily inventory made by those in charge of ATMs, the internal auditors of the bank must conduct monthly surprise inventory of ATMs and keep a record which can be referred to, if needed.

7. The bank must periodically test and maintain ATMs and POSs to avoid reverse operations and any other technical problems which increase client and bank claims, in view of the negative effects on the services of ATMs and POSs.

8. The treasury and secret numbers of the ATM should be under dual control and the secret number is disclosed only by management approval.

9. The bank that issues the card must pay the amount of reverse claims caused by insufficient balance in the account of the card holder at the time of the claim without asking for the receipt of the purchase operation at POS, in order to settle the claims of merchants and banks together and enhance their faith in the POS service. The bank will then follow up with the card holder to recover its money.

10. One of the bank employees must be appointed as a liaison officer responsible for following up on ATM and POS cases. His name and phone number must be passed on to SAMA within one week.

Please be informed and comply as of this date. In case of a violation of any of these instructions the bank shall be responsible for consequences.

Referring to the telegram of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security No. 54033 dated 10/3/1440 H, which included the approval of the recommendations of the committee formed by specialists from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance and SAMA to review and update the standards and conditions necessary for practicing the activity of transferring cash, precious metals and valuable documents, and to SAMA’s circular No. 371000093183 dated 22/8/1437 H, which included recommendations for the cash transfer law.

Accordingly, His Highness’s telegram included a number of final recommendations and specified the tasks required of the parties concerned with this activity, as follows: 

1. All licensed cash and precious metals transport companies and institutions are required to have their vehicles fully armored, including sides and roofs, and with standard bulletproof armor of type (Vpam6) as a minimum issued by the European Committee for Standardisation and in accordance with the approved technical terms and specifications attached to the circular. Note that armoring of cash transport vehicles is optional if the feature of using high-specification containers and security inks for transporting cash is available, after obtaining the approval of the General Secretariat of the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security.
2. Cash transport vehicles must have an independent security permit issued by the General Secretariat of the Supreme Authority for Industrial Security (Central Security Licensing Unit). The Secretariat also issues permits for armoring vehicles, establishing factories and importing requests for armored vehicles through its electronic portal. Cash transport companies must submit a license renewal request three months before its expiration. It is prohibited to practice the activity with an expired license. Cash transport companies must carry out periodic preventive maintenance on their vehicles on an ongoing basis, and the expected life of cash transport vehicles must not exceed five years from the date of their entry into service.
3. Banks, currency exchangers and Cash Transfer Companies are committed to strengthening control over the work of companies contracted to transport cash within cash centers and to inform the security authority (Public Security) of any company that violates the application of the law against it, and to adhere to the procedures and mechanisms for receiving and delivering cash.
4.  Banks, currency exchangers and cash transfer companies and institutions are committed to the laws and regulations specified for the cash transfer vehicle crew, which consists of only three individuals (driver - guard - companion), provided that the guard and companion are armed. In the event that cash transfer vehicles are used in the activity of replenishment ATMs, the companion who works within the armored vehicle crew is responsible for replenishment the ATMs, and this requires the availability of electronic locks on the device safes. 
5. It is necessary for workers on cash transfer vehicles to use encrypted communication devices that are difficult to hack.
6. Cash transfer companies are obligated to register cash transfer contracts and employees at the Central Security Licensing Unit at the General Secretariat of the Supreme Authority for Industrial Security and to screen employees for security.
7. Banks, and Currency Exchangers are obligated to install surveillance cameras covering all facades of their sites, customer parking lots, the delivery and receipt area for cash transfer vehicles and all sensitive areas such as ATMs, and to connect them to the television camera recording unit so that the recording is kept for a period of no less than six months.
8. When receiving and delivering shipments, the vehicle must be stopped in the closest place to the receiving and delivery point, so that the vehicle door is in front of the bank or merchant.
9. The ATM replenishment cassettes  must be filled and placed in the designated containers and secured by an independent work team under dual supervision and under the recording of the television cameras inside the cash centers, so that the role of the field replenishment team is limited to transporting the cash containers for the ATM and replenishment them to the machine according to a route given to them at the beginning of the work day and the security authorities are informed of the route. The aforementioned independent work team shall undertake to reconciliation and verification the ATM's with the cash returned from the ATM's according to the readings of the ATM meters and the bank law, and this shall be under the recording of the television cameras.
10. The ATM replenishment process should be limited to replacing the cassettes equipped with cash only, and no transfer of currency from one box to another should be carried out during the ATM replenishment process, regardless of any cash amounts in the replaced box, and ATM maintenance should not be linked to the teller replenishment process, while emphasizing to workers the need to quickly complete the replenishment task as quickly as possible.
11. Cash transfer companies, banks, Currency Exchangers  are committed to using high-specification containers for cash transfers when receiving and delivering cash to and from branches, cash centers, remittances, Currency Exchangers and the retail sector, which allow automatic tracking and self-destruction with security inks for cash in the event of changing the specified route, or attempting to forcefully open it, tampering with it or vandalizing it in an irregular manner according to the approved technical terms and specifications attached to the circular, within six months from its date.
12. Working hours for replenishment and maintaining ATMs are throughout the week, including official holidays and weekends, and around the clock for the main cities (Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Khobar), commercial centers, airports and train stations, while the rest of the cities of the Kingdom are from seven in the morning until ten in the evening, except for what is specified by the security authorities.

Attached are the terms, requirements and technical standards for the design and manufacture of armored vehicles for transporting cash, precious metals and valuable documents, specifications for inks and security cash transport containers, and general requirements.

We hope to work quickly to implement the recommendations, terms, requirements and technical standards attached to you, and in the event of any difficulties you may face, we hope to coordinate this with the Advisor to the Deputy Governor for Banking Operations.

Further to the Central Bank Circular No. BCP/214 dated 25/4/1416 H regarding the Central Bank's observations made by various banks, as well as Central Bank Circular No. (485/BC/36) dated 07/01/1416 H attached to the Security Safety Manual, the Central Bank emphasizes the necessity of compliance with all outlined directives.

1-The bank must adhere to the security safety requirements outlined in the aforementioned guide for all new branches, offices, or ATMs and provide the Central Bank with a certificate from the security consultant confirming compliance with these requirements.

2-No bank is allowed to open new branches, offices or ATMs in any region of the Kingdom without obtaining an official license from the Central Bank.

3-Upon obtaining the Central Bank's license to open a branch or install an ATM, any relocation of the branch or ATM, regardless of its operational status or non-operational, is prohibited without obtaining a written approval from the Central Bank.

4-When the bank obtains the Central Bank's approval to open a branch in any location, the installation of the ATM in the branch is subordinate to the branch license, and there is no requirement to secure a separate license for the ATM; however, it is necessary to notify the Central Bank of this installation.

5-It is not permissible to merge an independent ATM license (outside the branch premises) with any branch, whether operational or non-operational.

6-The license is valid for a period of nine months from the date of its approval. The bank shall ensure the completion of the opening process within this period. Should the bank be unable to finalize the opening within the stipulated period, it shall notify the Central Bank of the reasons for the delay prior to the expiration of the license.

7-Licenses for non-operational branches are extended every six months to allow the bank to equipe the location.

8-A bank shall submit a report to the central bank biannually, detailing its status regarding the establishment of new branches and the installation of ATMs.

9-When requesting approval to open a branch or install an ATM, each bank must attach the following data

•  A feasibility study for opening a branch or installing an ATM.
•  A blueprint or showing the exact location of the requested branch or the exact location of the ATM.

10-The Central Bank must be notified of the actual date on which the branch opens and begins operations, or the date on which the ATM becomes operational.