Circular SINAP 1-16: Characteristics of Payment Instruments Issued by Financial Entities. Updated Consolidated Text

"2009 - Year of Tribute to Raúl SCALABRINI ORTIZ" COMMUNICATION "A" 4942 15/05/2009 TO FINANCIAL ENTITIES, TO ELECTRONIC CLEARING CHAMBERS:
Ref.: Circular
SINAP 1 - 16
Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities. Updated consolidated text. ______ We address you to inform you that, in accordance with what is established in Communication "A" 4929, the modification of the consolidated text of the reference has been proceeded with and, consequently, the sheets that correspond to replace in Sections 1 and 2 of the same are attached. Regarding this, as specified in Section 1, official nominative payment orders must have identical requirements for dimensions, paper, and printing as those stipulated for checks. With respect to the color fixed for the main background of these, it must be adapted to what is detailed in point 1.5.3 – Model 2.19. Likewise, the models that establish the design to which the aforementioned official nominative payment orders, which will be compensable through electronic clearing chambers, must adhere have been included in Section 2. On this matter, it is informed that this Institution will proceed to the homologation of these prior to their definitive printing, for which an identical procedure to that applicable to checks must be carried out. We salute you very attentively. CENTRAL BANK OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC Julio César Pando Raúl O. Planes Manager of Payment Systems General Submanager of Payment Means
ANNEX

• 1 -
  . Index -
  Section 1. General provisions for payment instruments.
  1.1. Document dimensions.
  1.2. Design.
  1.2.1. Particular characteristics of models 2.2. to 2.9.
  1.2.2. Particular characteristics of models 2.11 to 2.19.
  1.3. Allocation and control of the check digit in the routing code.
  1.3.1. Allocation of the digit - (Multiplier 9713).
  1.3.1.1. Application examples.
  1.3.2. Control routine - (Multiplier 9713).
  1.3.2.1. Application examples.
  1.4. Free strip, reserved for the SCAN line in magnetic characters.
  1.5. Other characteristics of payment instruments.
  1.5.1. Paper specifications.
  1.5.2. Printing specifications.
  1.5.3. Color.
  1.5.4. Stamps.
  1.5.5. Magnetic characters.
  1.6 Preparation of checks.
  Section 2. Models.
  2.1. Specifications and measurements of documents – design valid until 31.12.03- (models 2.2. to 2.9.)
  2.2. Check in pesos.
  2.3. Check in United States dollars.
  2.4. Deferred payment check in pesos.
  2.5. Deferred payment check in United States dollars.
  2.6. Reverse side of deferred payment check (DPC).
  2.7. Transferable nominative certificate - in pesos -.
  2.8. Transferable nominative certificate - in United States dollars -.
  2.9. Reverse side of transferable nominative certificate (TNC) with guarantee.
  2.10. Specifications and measurements of documents (models 2.11 to 2.19).
  2.11. Check homologated until the validity of the present.
  2.12. Deferred payment check. homologated until the validity of the present.
  2.13. Deferred payment check according to Communication "A" 4010 until the validity of the
  present.
  2.14. Check to be homologated from the validity of the present.
  2.15. Deferred payment check to be homologated from the validity of the present.
  2.16. Deferred payment check according to Communication "A" 4010 from the validity of the
  present.
  2.17. Sight bill of exchange.
  2.18. Bill of exchange at a fixed day.
  2.19. Official nominative payment order.
  B.C.R.A.
  UPDATED CONSOLIDATED TEXT OF THE RULES ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PAYMENT INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE ISSUED BY FINANCIAL ENTITIES

The rules of mandatory compliance that determine the code line in magnetic characters and characteristics of the payment instruments that are issued by financial entities-, are those that are detailed below:
1.1. Document dimensions.
The main body of the document must be 156 mm long by 70 mm wide (models described in points 2.2. to 2.9.) and 180 mm long by 76 mm wide (models described in points 2.11. to 2.19.), adjusting the rest of the dimensions to the characteristics of the pertinent model contained in Section 2. –Models- of this communication. The stub for collection, whose use is optional, is attached to the booklet and is located to the left of the check, bank draft, etc. The joining of such elements in no case must be dotted, but that it is carried out through the procedure of perforation or die-cutting to cut. In the same way, in no case must the system of mechanical prints of the type "perforation" be used to record the identification number, since the perforation leaves residues that harm the functioning of electronic reading equipment. Only the use of "embossed" prints is admitted, which do not originate such difficulty.
1.2. Design.
The design of the document body must adhere to the characteristics of the provisions in force and to the models contained in Section 2. -Models- that collect the essential statements of Law 24.452, its modification - Law 24.760 – and Decree Law 5.965/63 and its corresponding regulatory norms.
1.2.1. Particular characteristics of models 2.2. to 2.9.
In the upper right corner, a space or area of 20 mm high by 50 mm wide will be left, intended for the recording of the amount in numbers (in the upper part of this area) and for the inclusion of the routing code (boxed, in the lower part of this area), for the printing in numeric characters of the data corresponding to area 2 (premagnetized) of the SCAN line, distributed in three successive lines, as indicated below:

• First line: the code of the drawn entity, the house type, and the postal code of the payment address, all separated by a hyphen;
• Second line: the check number;
• Third line: the account number.
  Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
  Section 1. General provisions for payment instruments
  Version: 5th. COMMUNICATION "A" 4942
  Validity:
  15/05/2009

To the right of each of the three lines mentioned, separated by a space in blank, a check digit must appear, whose calculation methodology and control routine are indicated in point 1.3. Entity code: the code assigned to each entity must be used. In the case of entities whose identification number is one or two digits, two or one zero must be added to the left respectively, with the purpose that the code consists of three digits. House type code: to this effect, each entity will assign to its houses a code of three digits, according to the following criterion:

• Head office and/or only one as 000
• Headquarters as 999
• Branches or subsidiaries in a correlated manner from 001 to 998.
• Payment address code: The next four digits indicate the postal code of the
  payment address.
  The format of the data to be included in the routing code must be such that they allow a clear visualization of them. It is recommended to Entities the printing of these data in a letter size no smaller than that corresponding to the XEROX UN2O8E standard, as well as a font type similar to the same. To the right of the legend that specifies the type of document, it will be identified by the printing of the signs CPD-$ or CNT-$ depending on whether they are deferred payment checks and transferable nominative certificates.
  1.2.2. Particular characteristics of models 2.11. to 2.19.
  In the upper right corner, a space of 8 mm high by 50 mm wide will be left intended for the recording of the amount. This area will have boxes suitable for ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) and the currency symbol will be outside of the same. The routing code will be in a box of 17 mm high by 30 mm wide located in the lower part of the area intended for the amount and aligned to the right. In the same, the data corresponding to the SCAN line will be printed as indicated later, in 3 lines suitable for optical character recognition (OCR). These lines must be at an identical line spacing both among them and from the edges upper and lower of the box.
• First line: the code of the drawn entity, the house type, and the postal code of the payment address, all separated by a hyphen, according to how it is specified below:
  Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
  Section 1. General provisions for payment instruments
  Version: 6th. COMMUNICATION "A" 4942
  Validity:
  15/05/2009

For the models described in points 2.11 to 2.19, a bitonal or multitone watermark with a design exclusive to the printer or the financial entity issuing the document will be included on the paper, distributed across the entire surface.

1.5.2. Printing Specifications.
The documents referred to in points 2.1 to 2.13 must contain the following prints:

1.5.2.1. Main document background: printing performed with security inks reactive to aqueous agents. They must be used on both the front and the back.

1.5.2.2. Auxiliary background: prints with invisible inks, which react under ultraviolet light, and security inks reactive to organic solvents, which will be used in the areas where amounts are inscribed in letters and numbers.

1.5.2.3. Security background: must be located in at least the areas intended for text to be integrated by the client and in the SCAN line.

1.5.2.4. Anti-scratching: the routing code, the check number, and the premagnetized SCAN line must be covered with an anti-scratching film, or some other equivalent security measure sensitive to ultraviolet light.

In the models described in points 2.11 - 2.12 and 2.13, as an optional security measure, the stamping may be expressed in three ways: printed in variable size, repeated in invisible ink, and in microletters, with the last two characteristics excepted for checks drawn by the entities.

The documents referred to in points 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, and 2.19 must contain the following prints:

1.5.2.5. Main document background: with numismatic designs and/or guilloches different for each bank.
The ink of the predominant color must be fugitive to aqueous agents.

1.5.2.6. Auxiliary background: formed by fine wavy lines, with a separation between lines equal to the width of the stroke, printed in invisible ink, which reacts with strong yellow fluorescence under ultraviolet light, and which is highly fugitive to organic solvents; applied in the areas of amounts in letters and numbers, beneficiary, and signature.

1.5.2.7. Invisible anti-scratching protection coverage: formed by fine wavy lines with a separation between lines equal to the width of the stroke; with intense red fluorescence to ultraviolet light applied on the document number, the routing code, the personalization, the branch identification, and the premagnetized SCAN line.

Version: 5th. COMMUNICATION “A” 4942
Validity:
15/05/2009
Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
Section 1. General provisions of payment instruments

1.5.2.8. Variable data printing: performed in black color.

1.5.2.9. Microletter: the beneficiary lines and the lines for amounts in letters, and in deferred payment instruments, the payment date lines, must be formed in microletter.
The text in microletter will be continuous, that is without intermediate spaces, and must be perfectly legible with the help of a magnifying glass or thread counter.

1.5.2.10. Additional stamping: the stamping must be repeated in letters and in one or more of the following forms; in invisible ink, in various sizes, in negative, or with digits of progressive size.

Any modification or addition to the characteristics described, which entities wish to make, must be submitted for consideration to the Payment Systems Management of this Central Bank.

1.5.3. Color:

Models 2.11 - 2.12 and 2.13
For the printing of the main background, which must be plain, PANTONE 317 U must be used, which is composed as follows:
½ pt. PANTONE Pro. Blue
½ pt. PANTONE Green
31 pts. PANTONE Trans. Wt.

Models 2.14 - 2.15 and 2.16
The main background, both on the front and the back, must be printed in two colors: PANTONE 317 U (predominant color) and gray (secondary color).

Models 2.17 and 2.18
The main background, both on the front and the back, must be printed in two colors: PANTONE 7499 U (predominant color) and gray (secondary color).

Model 2.19
The main background, both on the front and the back, must be printed in two colors: PANTONE 155 U (predominant color) and gray (secondary color).

1.5.4. Stamps.
The color of the same must allow clear and precise reading on digital image reproduction equipment or alternative systems and must be inserted on the back of the document.

Version: 4th. COMMUNICATION “A” 4942
Validity:
15/05/2009
Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
Section 1. General provisions of payment instruments

1.5.5. Magnetic Characters.
By order of the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic, the character known as MAGNETIC CODE 7 BARS - CMC7 - is adopted for the integration of the SCAN line. For these purposes, consult the book “Specifications for the recognition of magnetic characters.

1.6. Preparation of checks
Given that it has been observed, in an extended manner, the addition of different elements in the checks (covering with tapes or corrugated material the amount figures and texts) by bank clients after their preparation, in response to this, entities must take extra precautions to agree with their issuers on the inconvenience of making any addition to them, once integrated.

Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
Section 1. General provisions of payment instruments
Version: 2nd. COMMUNICATION “A” 4942
Validity:
15/05/2009

2.19. Official nominative payment order - Front
OPON
(PLACE) . . . OF . . . . . . . . . . . . OF . . . . . .
ON . . . . . . OF . . . . . . OF . . . . . . . .
PAYMENT WILL BE SERVED TO ABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABVCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABBCRABBCRABBCRABBCRABBCRABBCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABBCRABBCRABABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRA THE AMOUNT OF PESOS PUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCOCENTRALDEELAREBCRABBCRABBCRABUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCOCENTRALDEELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCBCRABBCRABOCENTRALDEELAREPUBLI BCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRBCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCBCRABCRABCRABCRABCRANBCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABCRABXCCLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCOCENTRALDEELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCOCENTRALDEELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBLI CAARGENTI NABANCOCENTRALDELAREPUBBANCOCENTRALDEELAREPUBLI CARABBCCRAVRA 011- 456- 1003 3 00203442 1 00044226677 8 FOR THE PUBLIC WORK CERTIFICATE: ……………… . $ ACCT. 00044226677 NATIONAL VALIDITY CUIT XXXXXX PAYMENT ADDRESS SERIES A OFFICIAL NOMINATIVE PAYMENT ORDER 00203442 cerocerodoscerotrescuatrocuatrodos 00203442 NAME OF THE FINANCIAL AGENT - in which I want to orient - Authorized Signature Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
Section 2. Models
Version: 1st. COMMUNICATION “A” 4942 Validity: 15/05/2009 Page 19

2.19. Official nominative payment order - Back
For collection by ……………(receiving entity)……………. for the emergent credit of the public work certificate assigned by ………………(assignment data)……. ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… Signature of the assignor: ……………… Full name and document of the assignor: ……………… Legal capacity: ……………… ……………. Certification by the receiving entity: ……………… . ……………… ……………… ENTITY-BRANCH DATE OF PRESENTATION FOR REGISTRATION:
……… ……… ……… ………… .
RESERVED TO CURE
FORMAL DEFECTS
……… ……… ……… ………… ..
REGISTERED- WITH DATE:
.. ... ... .OF… …... ... ... ... OF.. ... ... ... ...
STAMPS OF THE ENTITY
DRAWN
SIGNATURES AND CLARIFICATION:
.. ... ... .... .. .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... .. ..
Characteristics of the payment instruments issued by financial entities B.C.R.A.
Section 2. Models
Version: 1st. COMMUNICATION “A” 4942 Validity: 15/05/2009 Page 20

B.C.R.A.
ORIGIN OF THE PROVISIONS INCLUDED IN THE ORDERED TEXT OF THE NORMS ON CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PAYMENT INSTRUMENTS ISSUED BY FINANCIAL ENTITIES ORDERED TEXT ORIGIN NORM
Section Point Paragraph Com.
Annex or
Chapter
Point Paragraph
Observations
“A” 2517
1.1. “A” 2798 V According to Com. “A” 3728 and
“B” 8079
1.2. “A” 2798 I According to Com. “A” 3728,
“A” 3842 ,“B” 8079, “B”
8299, “A” 4731 and “A”
4942
1.3. “A” 2517 II
1.3.1. “A” 2517 II
1.3.1.1. “A” 2517 II
1.3.2. “A” 2517 II
1.3.2.1. “A” 2517 II
1.4. “A” 15 15.3. According to Com. “A” 3728 and
“A” 3842
1.5. “A” 2517
1.5.1. “A” 2517 III According to Com. “A” 3728 and
“B” 8079
1.5.2. “A” 2517 IV According to Com. “A” 3728 and
“B” 8079, “B” 8299, “A”
4731 and “A” 4942
1.5.3. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 8079,
“A” 4731 and “A” 4942
1.5.4 “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 8079 and
“B” 8299
1.5.5. “A” 15 I 15.
1.
1.6. “A” 3728 According to Com. “B” 8079
2.1. to 2.9. “A” 2798 I
2.10. “A” 3728 unique 2.1. According to Com. "B" 3842 and
“B” 8079
2.11. “A” 3728 unique 2.2. According to Com. "B" 3842 and
“B” 8079
2.12. “A” 3728 unique 2.3. According to Com. “B” 7602.
"A" 3842 and “B” 8079
2.13. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 7995 and
“B” 8079
2.14. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 8299
2.15 “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 8299
2.16. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “B” 8299
2.17. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “A” 4731
2.
2.18. “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “A” 4731
2.19 “A” 3728 unique According to Com. “A” 4942