Document check

ID verification documents are government-issued credentials used to confirm an individual’s identity and personal details. Common examples include: Passports National ID cards Driver’s licenses Residence permits Birth certificates (in some jurisdictions) Utility bills or bank statements (for address verification) The document type required typically depends on the jurisdiction, industry, and risk profile of the user.

A standard document check process includes several key steps: Capture – The user submits a photo or scan of their ID, often paired with a selfie for biometric matching. Data extraction – Key fields (name, date of birth, document number, etc.) are read and digitized using OCR (optical character recognition). Authenticity check – Security features (like holograms, fonts, MRZ codes) are analyzed to detect signs of forgery or tampering. Match verification – The photo on the ID is compared to a live or submitted selfie to confirm that the person presenting the document is its rightful holder. Compliance check – Information is validated against sanctions lists, PEP databases, or internal watchlists where required. Advanced systems may also use NFC chip scanning or liveness detection for added protection.

Banks verify documents as part of onboarding and compliance processes. This can be done manually by a compliance officer or automatically through identity verification software. Key checks include: Authenticity validation of the document using machine learning and forensic analysis tools Cross-checking details with internal systems or government databases Biometric comparison between the ID photo and a live image/selfie Screening against AML, sanctions, and politically exposed persons (PEP) lists Banks are under strict regulatory obligations to ensure customers are who they claim to be—making document checks a crucial step in fraud prevention and regulatory compliance.