What is Identity Verification (IDV) and How to Complete It

Objective

What is Identity Verification?

Identity Verification (IDV) confirms the identity of an individual using a government-issued identity document and a biometric liveness check. Vonage may request IDV for one or more of the following reasons:

• Regulatory compliance - Certain product registrations require identity verification of an authorised representative under applicable law. For example, under the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025, Vonage must verify the identity of the authorised representative named in a Letter of Authorisation (LOA) before submitting a Sender ID registration. Failure to complete IDV means the registration cannot be processed, which may result in service disruption.
• Customer due diligence - As part of Vonage’s Know Your Customer (KYC) obligations, IDV supports onboarding and ongoing account management to meet legal and compliance requirements.

Note: IDV is performed on a physical individual, not on a company itself. IDV is also unique to each individual. If you have been requested to complete IDV on your Vonage account, you must complete this with only your personal ID documentation, not any other individual.

Applies To

• Vonage Customer Dashboard
• Identity Verification (IDV)
• KYC Profiles
• Australian Sender ID Registration (ACMA)
• Account onboarding and fraud review workflows

Procedure

The verification typically takes just a few minutes to complete. Please make sure not to close the browser or navigate away until the process is finished. 

 Before you begin, have the following ready:

• A valid government-issued identity document, which may differ depending on your country (passport, national ID card, or driver’s license)
• A device with a working camera and microphone 
• A stable internet connection
• Good lighting

Note: For best results, complete IDV on a mobile device. If you start on a desktop browser, you can scan a QR code at any point to switch to your mobile device. If you are using an iPhone or iPad, use Safari - Chrome and Firefox on iOS are not supported.

Step 1 - Log in to your Vonage Customer Dashboard. Begin the IDV by following the steps displayed within the banner on your dashboard to start the process. If you do not see a banner prompting IDV, then you are not required to complete IDV. Click “Start” in the banner, and then “Start Process” on the next screen. 

• If you have been contacted by Vonage to complete IDV, and you still cannot see the banner, refresh the page and try again, and make sure you are logged in with the correct email address. If you still cannot see the banner, please contact our Support Team

Step 2 - Select your channel. You’ll be taken through to our trusted IDV Partner’s (Signicat) site. Choose whether to complete verification on your desktop browser or mobile device. To switch to mobile, you can scan the QR code displayed on screen.

Step 3 - Select your identity document. Select the type of identity document you will use and the country where it was issued. Accepted document types are:

• Passport (photo or details page required)
• National ID card (front and back required)
• Driver’s licence (front and back required; availability varies by country, available only in Bahamas, Denmark, UK, Japan, Puerto Rico, US, Venezuela)

Step 4 - Grant camera and microphone permissions. When prompted, select Allow to grant your browser access to your camera and microphone. These permissions are required to scan your document and complete the liveness check. If you have previously denied access, update your browser settings before proceeding. 

Step 5 - Scan your identity document. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan your identity document. Hold it steady and ensure it is fully visible within the camera frame, with no glare or reflections covering any information. If you are using an ID card or driver’s licence, scan both the front and back.

Step 6 - Complete the live face scan. Present your full face to the camera and follow the on-screen prompts. You may be asked to perform a simple action, for example, smile. This liveness check confirms you are physically present and matches your face against the photo on your document.

Once complete, navigate back to your Vonage dashboard. The identity check will take a few minutes. 

If the verification is successful, there is no further action from you. Exit by clicking “Proceed to Services”. Your results will be shared with Vonage. 

If the verification is incomplete, follow the steps to “Try Again”. Before doing so, review the section “If Verification is Not Successful” below to make sure you are following the right guidelines.  

If you continue to be unable to complete the verification, please contact Vonage Support.

Tips for a Successful Verification

Following these recommendations will help complete verification successfully on your first attempt:

• Use your mobile device if possible, as it typically provides better camera quality.
• Use a supported browser: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari.
• Use a stable internet connection and turn off any VPN before starting.
• Choose a well-lit environment using natural light where possible. Avoid dark environments, strong backlighting, shadows across your face or document, and reflections or glare on your document.
• Ensure your identity document is valid and not expired, clean and undamaged, and fully visible within the camera frame.
• Remove sunglasses, hats, masks, headphones or anything that covers your face. Tie back long hair if it covers your face. Look directly at the camera.
• Close any application that may already be using your camera or microphone, for example, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or FaceTime.
• Do not close the browser or navigate away until the process is fully complete.
• Allow camera and microphone access. Grant permissions when prompted. If you have previously denied access, update your browser settings before starting.

If Verification is Incomplete, or Unsuccessful

The outcome will fall into one of the following categories:

• Try Again - If verification was incomplete due to poor lighting, a poor internet connection, missing permissions, or a blurry document scan, a failure page is displayed with a Try Again option. Before retrying, check the above tips for a successful verification:
• Rejection - If the system detects a face mismatch, or an invalid or fake document, the Try Again option is not available. A Vonage account representative will contact you to determine next steps. Do not attempt to re-submit without guidance from Vonage.
• Technical error - If a technical error occurred during the process, please exit the process and try again after some time. If the issue persists, please contact Vonage Support.

FAQS

Who is Signicat?

Signicat is Vonage's certified third-party IDV (Identity Verification) provider, integrated into our KYC process to perform document-based identity verification on behalf of Vonage. Signicat will process customer data for verification purposes. After the complete of the verification, all information is passed to Vonage and permanently removed from Siginicat. Vonage is the only data owner; see below how we use, store and access your data. 

Is IDV an Industry Standard?

Yes. Identity verification is a widely adopted standard across regulated industries, including telecommunications, financial services, and payments. Regulators and carriers increasingly require service providers to verify the identity of individuals associated with product registrations, particularly for messaging services such as SMS Sender IDs, short codes, and toll-free numbers. 

I cannot see the IDV banner in my Vonage Dashboard

No Banner in my Dashboard: The IDV banner does not appear automatically for all users; IDV is not required for everyone. It is enabled by Vonage for specific users who are required to complete the IDV verification process.

If you do not see a banner prompting IDV, then you are not required to complete IDV.

If you have been contacted by Vonage to complete IDV, and you still cannot see the banner, refresh the Vonage Dashboard page and try again. If you still cannot see the banner, please ensure you are signed in with the correct email address, otherwise, contact our Support Team. 

Banner link error - When clicking the link within the banner directing you to IDV, there is an error. Please contact Vonage Support

Who can access my files?

Access to all uploaded documents is restricted to authorised personnel. This limited access is granted only for specific purposes, including verification, compliance checks, or registration processes. 

What security safeguards are in place to protect my data?

Your files are stored in secure systems. We utilise encryption and other technical safeguards to ensure robust protection against unauthorised access. 

Who is my data shared with?

We do not share your documents or data with any third parties, except to provide the services, as otherwise set forth in our Privacy Policy and in cases where we are legally or regulatorily obligated to do so.

If your documents were provided for the purpose of registration, they must be shared directly with the relevant registration bodies or authorities in order to provide the requested service.  

How long are documents stored?

Documents are retained only for the period necessary to fulfil the regulatory, legal, and operational requirements of the service you utilise, as otherwise set forth in our Privacy Notice

Can I complete IDV using Company information?

No. IDV is performed on a physical individual - the authorised representative of a company - not on the company itself. Corporate registration documents cannot be used in place of a personal government-issued ID. You must complete IDV using your personal documentation. 

Can I complete IDV using another individuals’ documentation? 

No. IDV is unique to each individual. If you have been requested to complete IDV on your Vonage account, you must complete this with only your personal ID documentation, not any other individual. If another individual needs to complete IDV, they will need to create a separate Vonage account and have IDV triggered on that account. 

See our documentation on how to add new team members to your account.

What if the authorised representative named in my LOA does not have a Vonage account? How do we proceed with IDV using their documentation?

If IDV is required for a user that does not have a Vonage account, you will need to create a Vonage account for them. See our documentation on how add new team members to your account. The authorised representative must accept the invitation and successfully sign in to the Vonage Dashboard at least once before IDV can be triggered on their account. 

Alternatively, you can update the LOA with an email address that is linked to an existing and appropriate Vonage account holder, and then IDV can be triggered for them.

Why is Identity Verification (IDV) required for Australia Sender ID registration?

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has introduced the SMS Sender ID Register under the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025. As part of this framework, international brands that do not hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) are required to complete Identity Verification (IDV) before Vonage can submit a Sender ID registration request to ACMA.

As part of this registration process, the authorised representative named in the Letter of Authorisation (LOA) must complete an IDV check. This verification confirms the identity of the individual authorising the registration and helps prevent unauthorised or fraudulent use of Sender IDs. IDV is therefore a mandatory regulatory requirement for international brands without an ABN. As a Certified Telco participating in the ACMA Sender ID Register, Vonage is required to successfully complete the IDV process before submitting or maintaining a Sender ID registration on behalf of an international brand.

If the IDV process is not completed successfully, Vonage will be unable to register the Sender ID with ACMA. As a result, the Sender ID may be overstamped as "Unverified" to Australian recipients, which could impact message trust, delivery, or service continuity.

Additional Information

• For further assistance, submit a Support request.