Before any money leaves to you, your identity has to be verified. This is not optional and it is not a delaying tactic — any business that holds and pays out other people's money is required to know who it is paying, in every jurisdiction that licenses this activity. It also protects you: it is what stops somebody else who has got into your account from being paid your recovery.
What to send
- Photo identity document — passport, driving licence, national identity card or residence permit. It must be in date, and all four corners visible.
- Proof of address — a utility bill, bank statement or government letter, normally issued within the last three months, showing your name and address. Mobile phone bills and screenshots are often rejected.
- A selfie, holding the identity document, where asked.
How to photograph the documents
Lay the document flat in good light and photograph it straight on. Every corner inside the frame, nothing obscured by a finger or a glare spot, text sharp enough to read. Do not crop, rotate, filter or "enhance" it. The most common reason verification is rejected is simply an unreadable or cropped image, and each rejection costs you another cycle.
How your documents are handled
Document numbers are stored encrypted. Access is restricted to staff who need it for verification, and every access is logged. Documents are retained for the period required by anti-money-laundering rules and then deleted.
It expires
An approved verification is valid for 24 months. After that it has to be redone before further payouts. You will be reminded in advance. Your identity document expiring also invalidates the verification, so if your passport runs out, expect to reverify.
Name mismatches
Your verified name must match the payout destination name. If your name has changed — marriage, deed poll, a transliteration difference — send the supporting document with your verification rather than waiting for a mismatch to block a payout. It is a routine thing to resolve in advance and an awkward one to resolve under time pressure.
If verification is rejected
You are told the reason and can resubmit. The usual causes are an unreadable image, an expired document, a proof of address that is too old, or a name that does not match. None of them is final.