Why do some virtual numbers require an address?

Question

Why do some virtual numbers have an address requirement?

Applies To

• Virtual Numbers
• Regulations
• Address Requirements

Answer

Depending on country-specific regulations, in some cases virtual numbers require that users are located within the same region as the numbers they are purchasing.

It is essential that a valid business or residential address is provided during the purchasing of these virtual numbers. If the virtual numbers are intended to be used by an individual, the residential address of the end user should be provided. Virtual numbers purchased by a business entity should provide the registered address of the business.

There are 3 types of address requirements:

• Requires an address from the same country as the number
• Requires an address from the same region (City or State) as the number
• Requires any address worldwide

In some cases such as Germany, Hong Kong, or Singapore, proof of identity or proof of address is also required when requesting a virtual number.

When purchasing virtual numbers with address requirements, Vonage will require you to file a qualifying address with us before you are able to purchase the virtual number.

If your profile contains a valid address related to the number that you are purchasing, we will automatically populate the address form when purchasing a virtual number.

To see which country numbers require an address or other information, please visit the below article

Which countries does Vonage have numbers in?

Purchasing a Number When No Documentation Is Needed

For countries where no documentation is needed, the numbers can be purchased through your Vonage API account dashboard.

Log in to your dashboard and begin a search on the Buy Numbers page. Voice-enabled numbers in a country that requires an address when purchasing will display the following overlay upon clicking Buy.

You are asked to add an address in order to complete your purchase and confirm that you agree to allow Vonage to share this information with our Suppliers and local regulators for the country you are purchasing the number in.

After you have added an address, confirm you are the person or that you represent the entity using the number and click Next. We retrieve some options of addresses that match your input in order to confirm we have the correct address, as we want to make sure we select the right address.

If you have an address in your account profile that matches the country of the number you are purchasing, we will automatically fill in the form for you.

After we have returned some address options, you can select the correct one. We check the address provided is valid one more time and show you a summary before you confirm purchasing the number.

Purchasing an On Request Number When Documentation is Needed

If you are in a country such as Germany, Ireland, Hong Kong, or Singapore, we have to add the number to your account for you. This means that we request your address and agreement to share your address with suppliers and local regulators before adding the number to your account.

When you undertake a search on the Buy Numbers page, you will see a button to send a request, rather than any numbers being returned.

Clicking the button displays a similar form as the provisioning numbers option, where you enter your address and confirm you are the person or that you represent the entity using the number.

The difference here is that we send the request to our team to review and get in contact with you in case we require more information, such as proof of address or personal identification, as in some countries this is a requirement.

From here the team will add the number to your account and you will be notified.

Who Uses the Virtual Number Is Important

If you own several virtual numbers for different customers in a particular country, we strongly encourage you to add multiple addresses, one for each customer. This is because regulators in countries with address requirements have the expectation that the address on file corresponds to the business or person who is receiving or originating calls from that number.

Request an Address Change

If you already have an address associated with a number and want to update it, submit a support request.