Customer ID verification
All virtual address and mailbox providers are bound by strict Anti Money-Laundering and Counter Terror Funding laws and must comply with the legal requirements set down by HMRC.
The documents you will need to provide (either as scans or photographs) must include at least one form of photo ID and proof of address.
Please remember that we don’t make these rules so please don’t get cross if we ask you for a better image or more documents.
Photo ID
Photographic proof of identity is required for each company shareholder or named person on the account.
Acceptable proof of identity:
- Passport
- Driving Licence (with photocard)
- National Identity Card
- HM Forces Identity Card
- A current student card
- Employment identification card
- Disabled drivers blue pass
The Government publish a much more comprehensive list of allowable ID documents in their Proof of Identity Checklist.
Proof of address
In order to comply with HMRC’s anti-money laundering regulations we are required to hold proof of address for each named person on the account,
including any persons of significant control (PSC’s), irrespective of how your mail is handled.
Please note that we are unable to accept credit card statements or mobile phone statements/bills as proof of address.
Acceptable proof of address: Any documents submitted should
be less than 3 months old, and must show the Account Holder’s name.
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Certificate of insurance
- A property lease or rental agreement
- P45 / P60
- Any HMRC notice, benefits letter or official government communication
Again, you may want to look through the Government’s published Proof of Identity Checklist.
Image standards
A guide to submitted documents
Images, whether scans or photographs, should follow these four simple guidelines.
1
The image must be in colour.
2
The whole of the document must be shown within the image… it must not be cropped, cut-off or obscured, even at the edges.
3
The image must be clear and in focus, with no marks or reflections that prevent any part of the document from being read (it may help to turn off the flash on your phone!)
4
The document should be as ‘square on’ to the camera as possible and not photographed at an angle.
Including a 'selfie'
In the event that your submitted documents don’t meet the minimum ID Verification criteria, our Compliance team will contact you with advice and a request for further information.
