Reference · GIIN format
The GIIN format, character by character.
A GIIN is 19 characters in four segments, and every one of them means something. Decode any GIIN alongside, or read the full breakdown below.
- XXXXXX.XXXXX.XX.XXX
- 6 + 5 + 2 + 3
Decode a GIIN
Valid GIIN format.
-
FATCA ID OK
ABCDEF
Six letters or digits identifying the registration.
-
Type OK
99999
Single FI type code.
-
Category OK
SL
Single FI
-
Country OK
356
India
Format checks the structure only. Confirm registration on the IRS FFI List.
01Structure
Four segments, nineteen characters.
98Q2S1.00000.LE.356
| Position | Length | Component | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | 6 | FATCA ID | Uppercase letters and digits. Never the letter O. |
| 7 | 1 | Separator | Always a period (.) |
| 8–12 | 5 | Type | Uppercase letters and digits, set by the entity type. |
| 13 | 1 | Separator | Always a period (.) |
| 14–15 | 2 | Category | Uppercase letters: one of the codes below. |
| 16 | 1 | Separator | Always a period (.) |
| 17–19 | 3 | Country | ISO 3166-1 numeric code; 999 = Other. |
02Segments
What each part tells you.
Positions 1–6
FATCA ID
- Lead FI, Single FI, Sponsoring entity
- The entity’s own FATCA ID.
- Member FI
- The first 6 characters of the member’s FATCA ID.
- FI branch
- The first 6 characters of the associated FI’s FATCA ID.
- Sponsored entity
- The sponsoring entity’s FATCA ID.
Positions 8–12
Type code
- Lead FI
00000- Single FI
99999- Sponsoring entity
00000- Member FI
- The last 5 characters of the member’s FATCA ID
- FI branch
- Same as the associated FI
- Sponsored entity
- The last 5 characters of the sponsored entity’s ID
Positions 14–15
Category code
LE- Lead FI
SL- Single FI
ME- Member FI
BR- FI branch
SP- Sponsoring entity
SF- Sponsored fund
SD- Sponsored direct reporting NFFE
SS- Sponsored subsidiary
SB- Sponsored subsidiary branch
Positions 17–19
Country code
The ISO 3166-1 numeric code of the jurisdiction that issued the registration. Common examples:
356- India
276- Germany
442- Luxembourg
826- United Kingdom
124- Canada
840- United States
999- Other
03Worked examples
Three GIINs, decoded.
-
Decode ABCDEF.99999.SL.356
ABCDEF.99999.SL.356
FATCA ID ABCDEF · Type 99999 · Category Single FI · Country India
-
Decode ABCDE1.00000.LE.276
ABCDE1.00000.LE.276
FATCA ID ABCDE1 · Type 00000 · Category Lead FI · Country Germany
-
Decode ABCDE2.23456.ME.826
ABCDE2.23456.ME.826
FATCA ID ABCDE2 · Type 23456 · Category Member FI · Country United Kingdom
Format check as a regular expression
^[A-Z0-9]{6}\.[A-Z0-9]{5}\.[A-Z]{2}\.\d{3}$The regex confirms structure only. It doesn’t exclude the letter O or check category and country codes; the checker above does both.
Common format mistakes
- Lowercase letters: only uppercase is valid.
- The letter O, which never appears in a GIIN.
- The wrong number of characters in a segment.
- Missing periods, or hyphens instead of periods.
- A 2-letter country code instead of the 3-digit numeric code.
- Hidden spaces copied from PDFs or emails.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Something else? Ask our team
How many characters is a GIIN?
19 in total, including three periods: 6 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 3.
Can a GIIN contain the letter O?
No. The letter O is excluded to avoid confusion with the digit zero.
What does the country code at the end mean?
It’s the ISO 3166-1 numeric code of the jurisdiction; 999 is used for Other.
Is my GIIN used for CRS?
No. CRS doesn’t use the GIIN: institutions are identified by their local tax identification number or the reporting FI identifier. The GIIN is FATCA-specific.
Does the GIIN format differ between Model 1 and Model 2?
No. The format is identical. Model 1 and Model 2 differ in where the information is reported, not in how the GIIN is built.
Does a valid format mean the GIIN is registered?
No. The format only confirms the structure. Registration is confirmed on the IRS FFI List; use the GIIN Lookup to get there.
Stop wrestling with XSD schemas. Start filing with confidence.
See the full FATCA, CRS and IRS 1099 workflow for your institution in a 20-minute demo.