Help Centre

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
• Availability 
• The seven verification types
  • 1. Screening only
  • 2. KYC only (no EIV)
  • 3. KYC only (with Govt ID)
  • 4. KYC & ID anti-tampering
  • 5. KYC, ID anti-tampering & biometrics
  • 6. Screening & ID anti-tampering
  • 7. Screening, ID anti-tampering & biometrics
• Comparison Table
• Choosing a verification type for your sector
  • For law firms and conveyancers
  • For real estate agencies
  • For accounting practices
  • For financial services firms
• How to select and change a verification type
  • At case level
  • For one individual
  • Upgrading to a more thorough type
  • Downgrading to a less thorough type
• Related articles

Overview

Verification types control how much information First AML collects and verifies about an individual. They range from a screening check only through to a full identity check with a government ID match, document anti-tampering and a biometric face comparison.

Your verification types are enabled during onboarding. Once enabled, anyone creating a case can choose from them per case, or change the type for a single individual within a case.

Availability 

Check these before you choose a verification type.

The seven verification types

Every verification type includes a screening check on the individual. Types 3 to 7 send an EIV form, which means the individual is contacted and asked to complete it. Types 1 and 2 do not contact the individual at all.

1. Screening only

Screens the individual against PEP, Sanctions, Warnings, Fitness and Probity, and Adverse Media lists, using the details entered at case creation.

• No EIV form is sent, so the individual is never contacted.

• Uses name only, or name and date of birth.

• For more accurate results, supply both name and date of birth. Name alone returns a much higher volume of false matches.

2. KYC only (no EIV)

Electronically verifies the individual's name, date of birth and address using the details entered at case creation, and screens them.

• No EIV form is sent, so the individual is never contacted.

• Use this when you already hold reliable personal details and do not need to sight an ID document.

3. KYC only (with Govt ID)

Available in Australia and New Zealand only.

Verifies name, date of birth and address, collects government ID details, and screens the individual.

• An EIV form is sent. The individual must consent, then supply their ID document details and personal information.

• ID document details are only verified where government ID sources are required by the country's jurisdiction.

• No photograph of the ID document is required, so no anti-tampering check is run.

4. KYC & ID anti-tampering

Everything in type 3, plus a check for signs the ID document has been altered.

• An EIV form is sent. The individual must consent, supply their ID document details and personal information, and provide an acceptable photograph of their ID document.

• The anti-tampering check returns one of four results: Clear, Caution, Consider or Rejected.

5. KYC, ID anti-tampering & biometrics

The most thorough option. Everything in type 4, plus a facial recognition check.

• An EIV form is sent. The individual must consent, supply their ID document details and personal information, provide an acceptable photograph of their ID document, and complete a short biometric video.

• If the individual spends more than 15 seconds on the video page without interacting, a self-portrait option appears as a fallback.

6. Screening & ID anti-tampering

Screens the individual and checks their ID document for tampering, without verifying name, date of birth or address.

• An EIV form is sent so the individual can upload their ID document.

• Use this when you need to confirm the ID document is genuine but do not need an electronic identity match.

7. Screening, ID anti-tampering & biometrics

Screens the individual, checks their ID document for tampering, and compares their face to the photo on the document, without verifying name, date of birth or address.

• An EIV form is sent so the individual can upload their ID document and complete a biometric video.

Comparison Table

Biometric checks are switched on by default and can always be skipped by the individual completing the form. Check the verification report to confirm the biometric step was completed.

Choosing a verification type for your sector

The seven types are the same in every sector. What differs is how you meet clients, whether you can sight an ID document, and how many people you verify at once. The guidance below describes common practice. It is not compliance advice. Your own AML/CFT programme and risk assessment determine what level of verification you must apply.

For law firms and conveyancers

Also useful for legal practices

• Configure separate offices for Conveyancing, Trusts and Estates so each has its own screening profile. See Configuring offices.

• Risk assessments can be set at client level or matter level. See Configuring forms.

• For UK companies, filing documentation and PSC information can be pulled into the case. See Understanding Persons of Significant Control (PSCs).

• If your firm uses Actionstep, cases can be created from your practice management system. See Actionstep integration help.

For real estate agencies

Also useful for real estate

• Agents often create cases on a phone while with a client. Including the risk assessment during case creation lets them complete both in one sitting. See Configuring offices.

• Verification fails often trace back to the licence card number rather than the licence number. Where it sits on the card differs by state. See Australian driver licence number and card number.

• If your agency uses a software integration with First AML, cases can be created directly from your CRM. See the Partner Integrations section of the help centre for the full list of integrations currently available.

For accounting practices

Also useful for accounting practices

• When onboarding a portfolio at once, the types that send no EIV form let you clear low-risk volume without waiting on client responses.

• Screening profiles and fuzziness levels can differ per office, so audit work is not screened to the same profile as trust and company services. Adverse media is configured at company level only. See Customising screening profiles.

• If you are a DIA-supervised NZ reporting entity, the platform supplies the data for the DIA Part 3 sections of your annual report. See Annual reporting for NZ reporting entities.

For financial services firms

Also useful for financial services

• Whether a PEP is classified as Domestic, Foreign or Other is determined by the country set on the office that owns the case. See Configuring offices.

• A former office holder is always flagged as a PEP regardless of how long ago they left office. A 'Date Removed' label is applied so you can weigh it.

• Screening does not include criminal record checks. See Screening FAQs.

• Company credit checks are available globally across 199 countries. See How to run company credit checks.

How to select and change a verification type

You can set a verification type for a whole case, or change it for a single individual within that case.

At case level

The type you choose at case creation applies to every individual added to that case, unless you change it for someone individually.

1. Create a new case, or open an existing case.

2. Find the Verification type dropdown.

3. Select the verification type you want.

4. Save the case.

For one individual

Use this when one person on a case needs a different level of checking to the rest, for example a client who cannot complete an online form and is being verified in person instead.

1. Open the case.

2. Select the individual you want to change.

3. Go to the individual's Personal Details section.

4. Change the verification type to the one you need.

5. Save your changes.

Upgrading to a more thorough type

Upgrading means moving an individual to a type that checks more, for example from Screening only to KYC & ID anti-tampering.

• If the new type requires an EIV form and the individual has not been sent one, a form will need to be sent so they can consent and supply their details. See Auto-send verification forms.

• Checks that have already run are kept. The screening result is not discarded when you add KYC or anti-tampering on top of it.

Downgrading to a less thorough type

Downgrading means moving an individual to a type that checks less, for example from KYC only to Screening only.

The most common reason to downgrade is that the verification report shows an error because the type on record does not match the check that was actually performed. In that case, change the type to match what was done, using the steps under For one individual. The verification report will update to reflect the new type.

See Troubleshooting individual verifications for the full error-resolution steps.

Related articles

• Understanding individual verification reports

• Troubleshooting individual verifications

• How to verify clients in person

• Screening FAQs

• Customising screening profiles