The guide to verifying identities around the world

This report, Guide to Verifying Identities Around the World, provides a practical framework for organizations expanding globally to design robust identity verification (IDV) strategies. It explores how businesses can adapt their verification processes across geographies, balancing assurance needs, fraud risks, and regulatory demands. With country-specific examples and industry case studies, the guide equips decision-makers with the insights required to mitigate fraud, ensure compliance, and deliver seamless user experiences across diverse markets.

The central highlight of the guide is its framework for adapting IDV globally, which emphasizes four critical components:

• What identity information and evidence to collect — accounting for varying ID formats, languages, and encrypted features.
• How to collect it — tailoring forms, flows, and user experiences to local norms.
• What to do with it — determining validation methods such as database and cryptographic checks, plus verification processes like selfies and video calls.
• How to integrate fraud and compliance requirements — recognizing fraud patterns unique to each region (e.g., malware in Turkey, phishing in Morocco, or ATO fraud in India) and aligning with regulatory frameworks such as AML, KYC, and emerging marketplace and social media laws.

The guide underscores that assurance is not one-size-fits-all: businesses must balance risk tolerance with regulatory expectations and user experience. Achieving this balance requires conducting thorough risk assessments and working with adaptable IDV providers who can localize solutions without creating excessive friction or privacy risks.