Firmcheck's Essential ID checks only use UK data sources (electoral roll, credit reference agencies, etc.), so they can't verify clients who live outside the UK.
To properly identify a non-UK client, use one of the three methods below.
This is usually the quickest option for overseas clients, as it can recognise and match documents from 193 countries. Your client uploads a passport or driving licence and takes a selfie; Firmcheck matches their face to the document photo, reads and checks the document's authenticity, and cross-references their details against trusted databases.
Go to the client's profile > Verifications tab > Advanced ID Check.
Confirm their (unique) email address and click Send now.
The client completes the check on a phone or webcam-enabled device using a valid passport/driving licence plus proof of address.
Once complete, review the result under the Verifications tab and update the status.
Full guide: How to perform an advanced ID check
A cryptographic check validates the RFID chip in an electronic passport (domestic or international) to confirm it's genuine and unaltered. It is stronger evidence than a biometric check alone, but it only works on electronic passports issued by a set list of countries.
Passport details must already be captured, either via an Advanced ID Check or by uploading the passport under Proof of Identity.
Click Cryptographic ID Check and enter the client's email address.
The client downloads the Firmcheck app on their phone and scans the chip in their passport (front cover, back cover, or photo page).
A green tick confirms the passport has been successfully verified.
Full guide: How to complete cryptographic checks · List of supported countries
Tip: You can send both checks in one go. Start an Advanced ID Check, then select the "Cryptographic" option in the pop-out window. The client completes the biometric check first, and the cryptographic request is sent automatically a few minutes later.
If your client doesn't have a machine-readable passport, or your firm prefers to verify documents in person, you can verify manually instead - provided you're trained to do so.
Make sure the person reviewing the documents has been trained in identifying fraudulent documents, following the Home Office best practice guide.
Review the client's ID documents and check them for authenticity.
Upload the documents to the client's Proof of Identity section in Firmcheck, along with notes on how the verification was carried out.
Manually mark the client's documents as verified.
Home Office guide: recognising fraudulent identity documents
Fastest, self-serve: Advanced ID check (biometric).
Strongest evidence, Companies House IDV: Advanced ID check plus a cryptographic check.
No compatible passport or prefer an in-person process: manual verification by a trained team member.