Banking Ombudsman Complaint Guide India — Step-by-Step (2026)

If you live abroad: see the NRI bank account frozen guide for the KYC, NRE, NRO and dormant-account rescue path.

If your bank stalls a refund, denies a credit-card chargeback, ignores a wrong-credit reversal, or simply doesn't respond — you don't need a lawyer. The Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 (RB-IOS 2026), in force from 1 July 2026, replaces the 2021 scheme and continues the “One Nation One Ombudsman” approach. It lets you file a free, online complaint. This page walks through when you can file, how to file at cms.rbi.org.in, what to attach, what the Ombudsman can award, and how to escalate.

RB-IOS 2026 covers an inclusive list of deficiency-of-service grounds across the entities it regulates — banks, certain NBFCs, non-bank Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuers, and Credit Information Companies. Common complaint scenarios:

The grounds list is inclusive, not exhaustive — service deficiency in a covered Regulated Entity is usually within scope. See also which regulator to complain to in India.

RB-IOS 2026 imposes strict admissibility requirements:

• Complain to the Regulated Entity first — in writing. Keep the acknowledgement / complaint number.
• Wait 30 days — or the longer timeline specified by RBI / NPCI / Card Network guidelines, if any, whichever is higher.
• If no reply within that period, OR you are dissatisfied with the reply, you can file with the RBI Ombudsman.
• File within 90 days — counted from the date the 30-day (or longer) timeline expires, or from the date of the Regulated Entity's last communication, whichever is later.
• Underlying limitation — your complaint to the Regulated Entity must itself have been filed before the limitation period under the Limitation Act, 1963 expired.

Matters not covered (and likely to be rejected): complaints not first taken to the RE; the same grievance pending in / settled by a court, tribunal or arbitrator; disputes between two REs; employee-employer disputes; commercial judgment decisions; grievances against entities not covered under the Scheme (e.g., unauthorised lending apps — for those, use RBI Sachet).

You can file three ways:

1. Online: cms.rbi.org.in (preferred — lets you track status)
2. Email: [email protected]
3. Post / hand delivery: Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre (CRPC), Reserve Bank of India, Central Vista, Sector 17, Chandigarh - 160017
4. Helpline: toll-free 14448 (IVRS 24×7; personnel 8 AM to 10 PM, Mon to Sat) — for guidance and status only, not for filing

To file online at cms.rbi.org.in:

1. Open cms.rbi.org.in and click “File a complaint”
2. Authenticate — OTP to mobile + email
3. Choose entity type — Bank / NBFC / System Participant / Pre-paid Payment Instrument / Credit Information Company
4. Search the entity — name auto-populates
5. Choose nature of complaint — match closest to your facts
6. Fill complaint details:
   • Account / card / loan / transaction number
   • Date of transaction and reference number
   • RE complaint number + date you complained to the RE
   • Brief facts (1-2 paragraphs, calm, factual)
   • RE's reply (if any) / “not responded”
   • Relief sought
7. Upload supporting documents (PDF, up to 2 MB each)
8. Submit — note the Complaint Reference Number (CRN)
9. SMS + email confirmations follow

You can file in Hindi or English on the portal; the facts / description box accepts any language. Email and postal complaints can be in any language.

A single combined, indexed PDF is preferred — the portal accepts up to 25 files but a clean 5-10 page indexed file is easier for the Ombudsman's office to handle.

[Inside the cms.rbi.org.in e-form — Brief facts box]

I, [Full name], hold Savings A/C [number] with [Bank Name], [Branch].
On [date], an unauthorised debit of Rs. [amount] was effected from my
account through [UPI / IMPS / NEFT / Card / AePS]. I reported the
matter to the bank in writing on [date] (RE complaint ref: ___) and
called 1930 the same day (Ref: ___). I also filed at cybercrime.gov.in
(Ref: ___).

The bank, despite the elapse of 30 days from my written complaint,
has [not responded / responded with rejection citing ___]. The
unauthorised debit falls within RBI's Master Direction on Limiting
Liability of Customers, 2017, and I reported within ___ working day(s)
of the debit.

I respectfully pray for:
  a) Refund of Rs. [amount] with interest at savings rate from [date]
  b) Compensation of Rs. [amount] for mental harassment and time/cost
  c) Direction that the bank put in place fraud-monitoring controls

[Attach: bank statement, complaint copy, 1930/cybercrime references,
RBI 2017 invocation letter, FIR if any]

Under RB-IOS 2026, the Ombudsman can:

• Compensation up to Rs 30 lakh for consequential loss suffered because of the RE's deficiency in service
• Up to Rs 3 lakh additionally for loss of time, expenses incurred, harassment / mental anguish
• Direction to refund / re-credit the disputed amount with applicable interest
• Direction to take specific remedial action (issue / cancel an instrument, fix an error, etc.)
• Settlement by conciliation — where the Ombudsman helps you and the RE reach a mutually acceptable resolution

There is no monetary ceiling on the dispute amount that can be brought — only the consequential-loss compensation is capped at Rs 30 lakh. There is no fee at any stage and no costs can be imposed on the complainant.

Once your CRN is generated:

If an Award is passed:

1. You must send the RE a letter of acceptance of the Award within 30 days of receiving it (unless you file an appeal).
2. The RE must then comply within 30 days of receiving your acceptance letter.

• Appeal to the Appellate Authority — file within 30 days of receiving the Award (the Appellate Authority may condone a further delay of up to 30 days for sufficient cause). An appeal lies only against an Award, not against a rejection. Both the complainant and the Regulated Entity can appeal — the RE needs prior sanction and cannot appeal an Award passed for its own failure to furnish information.
• Consumer Forum — under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (District up to Rs 50 lakh / State Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore / National above Rs 2 crore), you can file at the appropriate commission. This is a parallel remedy, not barred by the Ombudsman process. See how to file in consumer court and consumer court appeal process.
• Civil suit — if your compensation claim exceeds the Rs 30 lakh consequential-loss cap, a civil suit is the appropriate forum.
• Writ petition — High Court under Article 226, reserved for systemic failure or violation of fundamental rights (rarely needed).

RB-IOS 2026 continues the unified “One Nation One Ombudsman” approach — banks, certain NBFCs, non-bank PPI issuers and Credit Information Companies are all covered at one portal: cms.rbi.org.in.

• NBFC complaints — non-payment of deposits, harassment by NBFC recovery agents, unfair foreclosure charges, delayed loan disbursal. See digital lending borrower rights and education loan NBFC rights. (Note: Housing Finance Companies are not covered under RB-IOS 2026.)
• Digital lending app complaints — illegal digital lenders, data-harassment (accessing contacts/photos), exorbitant charges. Verify whether the app is RBI-authorised using the RBI digital lending app directory. See also education loan harassment recovery.
• Co-lending disputes — conflicts involving bank-NBFC co-lending partnerships. See co-lending borrower rights.
• NBFC fixed deposit disputes — premature withdrawal blocked. See NBFC fixed deposit premature withdrawal rules.

On the CMS portal, choose “Non-Banking Financial Company” for NBFC / digital lender complaints.

If the app is unauthorised (not RBI-regulated), RB-IOS 2026 does not cover it — report on the RBI Sachet portal (sachet.rbi.org.in) and at cybercrime.gov.in.

• Do not approach the Ombudsman before completing the RE-first step + 30-day wait.
• Do not miss the 90-day filing window after the RE's last communication / 30-day expiry.
• Do not file in the wrong entity category (e.g., a wallet under “Bank”) — it routes incorrectly.
• Do not attach 50+ pages of irrelevant material; 5-10 indexed pages carry more weight.
• Do not be aggressive in tone — calm factual narration carries more weight.
• Do not withdraw the complaint the moment the bank offers a partial settlement; ask for a written settlement memo first, then withdraw through the CMS portal's “Track a complaint” tab.

1. 0-5 min — Confirm 30 days have elapsed since your written complaint to the bank
2. 5-15 min — Register at cms.rbi.org.in; OTP authenticate
3. 15-25 min — Fill the e-form; attach combined PDF
4. 25-30 min — Submit; note the CRN
5. +5 days — Email follow-up if no acknowledgement

No. RB-IOS 2026 is free at every stage — filing, conciliation, Award and appeal.

On the CMS portal, you can file in Hindi or English; the facts / description box accepts any language. Email and postal complaints can be in any language.

Yes, with their written authorisation. The authorised representative cannot be an advocate unless the advocate is the aggrieved person.

After an Award, you must send the bank a letter of acceptance within 30 days. The bank must then comply within 30 days of receiving it. RBI takes non-compliance seriously; you can also approach a civil court for execution.

Retaliation would itself be a deficiency of service. You can file a fresh complaint with the Ombudsman; RBI can take regulatory action against the bank.

Yes. Log in at cms.rbi.org.in and use your CRN under “Track a complaint”. You can also call toll-free 14448 for status. SMS notifications are sent at each stage.

If rejected at intake (e.g., time-barred or RE-first step not met), cure the deficiency and refile. If rejected on merits after examination, an appeal lies only against an Award — not against a rejection — so your alternative is the Consumer Forum or a civil court. See how to file in consumer court.

Yes. Loss / damage to locker contents, denial of access, and nomination disputes are covered. See bank locker rules 2026 and RBI locker compensation (100x rent).

Yes. NRIs with accounts in Indian banks (NRE/NRO/FCNR) can file if the deficiency occurred in India. The process is identical. See the NRI bank account frozen guide for KYC and dormant account issues.

Yes. RB-IOS 2026 allows up to Rs 3 lakh for loss of time, expenses, harassment and mental anguish — in addition to consequential-loss compensation up to Rs 30 lakh. Mention this explicitly in your prayer.

Yes — if the app is operated by an RBI-regulated NBFC, file under “Non-Banking Financial Company” on cms.rbi.org.in. Check the RBI digital lending app directory to verify. If the app is unauthorised (not RBI-regulated), report it on the RBI Sachet portal (sachet.rbi.org.in) and at cybercrime.gov.in. See also digital lending borrower rights.

The Ombudsman (cms.rbi.org.in) handles complaints against RBI-regulated entities (banks, NBFCs, payment operators, PPI issuers, Credit Information Companies) and can award compensation. Sachet (sachet.rbi.org.in) is for reporting unregulated entities — unauthorised deposit schemes, illegal lending apps — for awareness and action tracking, but does not award individual compensation.

Yes — they are parallel remedies. Choose one to start; if dissatisfied, the other is available. See how to file in consumer court.

Conciliation meetings, where called, can be in person or online — the Office of the RBI Ombudsman decides the manner based on the circumstances of the complaint.

• RB-IOS 2026 Scheme (full text, PDF) — rbidocs.rbi.org.in — RB-IOS 2026 (PDF)
• RBI FAQ on RB-IOS 2026 (updated 1 July 2026) — rbi.org.in — RB-IOS 2026 FAQs
• RBI Complaint Management System — cms.rbi.org.in (file complaints here)
• CRPC postal address — Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre, Reserve Bank of India, Central Vista, Sector 17, Chandigarh - 160017
• CRPC email — [email protected]
• RBI Toll-Free Helpline — 14448 (IVRS 24×7; personnel 8 AM to 10 PM, Mon to Sat)
• RBI Sachet Portal — sachet.rbi.org.in (report unregulated entities)
• RBI Master Direction on Customer Service in Banks — rbi.org.in — Customer Service MD
• RBI Master Direction on Limiting Liability of Customers (2017) — rbi.org.in — Limited Liability MD
• Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — alternative remedy; see how to file in consumer court

• What changed in the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme 2026
• RBI complaint against bank — full process
• Money sent to wrong bank account
• Fake KYC update scam
• UPI fraud recovery
• ATM fraud recovery
• ATM cash withdrawal dispute
• ATM cash not dispensed but debited
• Credit card chargeback guide
• How to apply for a credit card (2026)
• Bank account freeze recovery
• Loan recovery agent rights and limits
• Digital lending borrower rights (DLG/FLDG)
• Education loan NBFC rights and grievance
• RBI digital lending app directory
• Co-lending bank-NBFC borrower rights
• Unauthorised foreclosure charges refund
• No foreclosure charges on floating rate loans (RBI 2026)
• RBI no foreclosure charges — personal loans 2026
• NBFC fixed deposit premature withdrawal rules
• Bank locker rules 2026
• Bank locker compensation (100x rent)
• How to apply for a bank locker
• Suspicious transaction account hold
• How to file in consumer court
• Consumer court appeal process
• RERA or Consumer Court — election of remedy
• Which regulator to complain to in India
• Education loan harassment recovery

• Bank let your cheque expire? It must pay you (SC 2026)
• Is FD interest commercial? Consumer court vs bank (SC 2026)

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026.