Many online services now ask users to prove their identity before opening an account, making payments, accessing financial products, signing documents or completing security checks. This can apply to banks, investment platforms, payment apps, crypto platforms, property portals, legal services, marketplaces and government accounts.
The exact documents depend on the service, but most checks focus on proving who you are, where you live and whether your details match official records.
Proof of identity
Online services may ask for a document that proves your identity.
Common documents include:
- passport
- UK driving licence
- national identity card, where accepted
- biometric residence permit, where relevant
- birth certificate, in limited cases
The document should be clear, valid where required and show your current legal name.
Proof of address
Some services ask for proof of address as part of verification.
Common documents include:
- utility bill
- council tax bill
- bank statement
- mortgage statement
- tenancy agreement
- HMRC letter
- driving licence, if not already used as ID
The document usually needs to be recent and show your full name and current address.
Selfie or video check
Many online platforms use a selfie or video check to compare your face with your ID document.
You may be asked to:
- take a live selfie
- record a short video
- turn your head
- blink or follow screen instructions
- upload the ID document again
- confirm personal details
Make sure the lighting is clear and the ID is not blurred or cropped.
Bank statement or payment evidence
Financial services may ask for bank statements or payment evidence to verify account ownership or source of funds.
This may include:
- bank statement
- account confirmation letter
- payment screenshot, if accepted
- debit card verification
- savings statement
- source of funds evidence
A full PDF statement is usually stronger than a cropped screenshot.
Source of funds documents
If large payments or transfers are involved, the platform may ask where the money came from.
Useful documents include:
- payslips
- savings statements
- property sale documents
- inheritance records
- investment statements
- business income evidence
- loan agreement
- gift letter
The aim is to explain the origin of the funds, not just the current balance.
Name differences
If your documents show different names, verification may fail or be delayed.
This can happen after:
- marriage
- divorce
- deed poll
- adoption
- spelling correction
- use of initials
- missing middle names
Useful supporting documents include a marriage certificate, change of name deed, divorce document or statutory declaration.
Address differences
Verification can also fail if your address does not match official records or the document uploaded.
Check that your address is consistent across:
- bank account
- driving licence
- utility bills
- council tax
- HMRC records
- credit file
- online account profile
If you have recently moved, update records before starting verification.
Document upload quality
Poor upload quality is a common reason online identity checks fail.
Avoid:
- blurry photos
- cropped document edges
- glare or shadows
- expired documents
- screenshots when PDFs are required
- edited images
- mismatched names
- unreadable small text
- uploading the wrong side of a driving licence
Take photos in good light and follow the platform’s instructions carefully.
Certified copies
Some online services may still ask for certified copies, especially for higher-risk checks, business accounts, legal services or remote onboarding.
This may apply to:
- passport copy
- driving licence copy
- proof of address
- company documents
- bank statements
- power of attorney
- source of funds evidence
Check who is allowed to certify the document before arranging it.
Common mistakes to avoid
Online identity checks are often delayed by small issues.
Common problems include:
- ID is expired
- photo is blurry
- address does not match
- proof of address is too old
- name differs across documents
- selfie does not match ID clearly
- bank statement is cropped
- document is edited or marked
- wrong document type is uploaded
- platform asks for a PDF but receives a screenshot
Final thoughts
Identity checks for online services usually require proof of identity, proof of address and sometimes a selfie, bank statement or source of funds evidence. The most common documents include passports, driving licences, utility bills, bank statements and HMRC letters.
Before uploading documents, check that names and addresses match, documents are recent and images are clear. Good-quality documents can make online verification much quicker and reduce repeated requests.