Verify your identity

This article shows you how to verify your identity as the person setting up your business’s Vav account, so the business can use everything in Vav.

Verification is one-time. Vav reuses the result across the app — for cards and payouts — so you are never asked twice.

Before you start

• A Vav account with a verified email. See Create your business’s Vav account.
• A valid identity document. See Accepted documents.
• A phone that can take photos, or a computer with a camera.
• Good lighting for your selfie and document photos.

How verification works

Business accounts are verified on two levels:

• The business (KYB, Know Your Business) — its company details and registration documents, and its owners and directors.
• The person setting up the account (KYC, Know Your Customer) — the identity check below, which you complete in the app.

The check in the app has two parts:

1. Identity check — your document and a selfie, checked by our verification partner.
2. Connect your account — a short set of compliance questions our banking partner requires.

The account is fully verified when both are approved.

Verify your identity

Most people see an in-app document and selfie check. Some see a step-by-step form instead — both are covered below.

On the app

1. After you sign in for the first time, you land on the Identity screen. It is marked One-time verification.
2. Tap Verify my identity.
3. Follow the on-screen check: photograph the front of your document, the back if asked, then take a selfie. Everything runs inside the app.

For your protection, screenshots and screen recording are blocked on this screen.

On the web

1. Open your account page and find the Identity & documents section.
2. Click Verify identity.
3. A window titled Verify your identity opens. Follow the steps: document photos, then a selfie.

If you see a form instead

Some accounts verify with a 4-step form: About you, Your document, Photos, Address & tax.

1. About you — your first name, last name, date of birth, gender, nationality and phone number. Your phone number is checked against your country’s format.
2. Your document — document type, document number, issue date and expiry date.
3. Photos — a photo of the document front, the back if it is not a passport, and a selfie. The selfie must be taken with the camera right then — you cannot upload a saved photo. You can also add a proof of address here; see Proof of address. Photos must be at least 200 × 200 pixels.
4. Address & tax — your street address, city, state, country, postal code and tax number (if you have one).
5. Tap Save identity.

What happens next

• The review usually takes under a minute. While it runs you see Still reviewing — this usually takes under a minute. You can tap Check status at any time.
• When it is approved, your name shows with ✓ on file and the Connect your account step appears. Answer its questions and tap Finish setup to complete setup.
• If the check is declined, you see the reason and you can try again. See My verification was declined.

Fees and limits for this action

• Verification is free.
• The account must be verified before it can add money, send money, make bank transfers or get a card.

Troubleshooting

• “That photo is too small for verification — retake it at a higher quality” — the photo is under 200 × 200 pixels. Retake it with the camera at normal quality.
• “Document front, back and selfie are required” — one of the required photos is missing. Add each photo before saving.
• “Verification is temporarily unavailable — try again shortly” — the check could not start. Wait a moment and try again.
• “Could not start the verification” — check your internet connection and try again.
• The review seems stuck — the screen checks automatically. If nothing changes after several minutes, close and reopen the app, then look at the Identity screen again.

FAQs

Do I need to verify again for cards or bank transfers? No. You verify once. Cards have one extra approval step by our card partner, but you do not repeat the document check.

Can I update my details later? Yes. When your identity is on file, tap Update on the Identity screen (app) or in Identity & documents (web). Documents already on file are kept unless you replace them.

Why do you need a selfie? The selfie proves the document belongs to the person verifying. It must be taken live, which protects your business from someone using a stolen photo of an ID.

Is my data safe? Your documents are handled by our verification partner and your details are stored encrypted. See the privacy policy at app.vav.money/privacy.

Can the business use Vav without verifying? You can sign in and see the app, but money features stay locked until verification is complete.

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