Art. 6 Documents for the verification of identity | RTS on customer due diligence | AML

This article sets out the standards for what counts as an acceptable identity document when obliged entities verify the identity of a natural person.

It establishes the baseline criteria a document must meet to be treated as equivalent to a passport or national identity document, and importantly includes a fallback provision for individuals who cannot provide standard documentation due to circumstances such as statelessness or refugee status.

The article also connects directly to Article 7, which governs non-face-to-face verification, by confirming that electronic identification means are also a permitted route, including in face-to-face settings.

Important points:

Ensure any document accepted as equivalent to a passport or identity document meets all required criteria: state or public authority issuance, full name, date of birth, expiry date, document number, facial image, signature, and security features.
A reduced set of document requirements applies for individuals with legitimate reasons for lacking standard documentation, such as stateless persons or those with refugee or subsidiary protection status, but obliged entities must use other credible means to fill any information gaps.
Take reasonable steps to verify that all documents are authentic and have not been forged or tampered with, and ensure the content of any foreign-language documents is understood.

1. For the purposes of verifying the identity of the natural person in accordance with Article 22(6), point (a), and Article 22(7), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, a document shall be considered equivalent to an identity document or passport if it meets all of the following conditions:
  1. it is issued by a state or public authority;
  2. it contains all names and surnames and the holder’s date of birth;
  3. it contains information on the date of expiration and a document number;
  4. it contains a facial image and the signature of the document holder;
  5. it contains security features to ensure authenticity.
1. In situations where the natural person cannot provide an identity document, passport or a document that meets the requirements in paragraph 1 for a legitimate reason such as their statelessness or refugee or subsidiary protection status, a document shall be considered equivalent to an identity document or passport if it meets all of the following requirements:
  1. it is issued by a state or public authority;
  2. it contains all names and surnames of the natural person;
  3. it contains the date of birth of the natural person;
  4. it contains a facial image of the document holder.
2. If the document provided does not include information stipulated in the points of the first subparagraph, obliged entities shall use other credible means to obtain this information.
1. Obliged entities shall take reasonable steps to ensure that all documents obtained for the verification of the identity of the natural person pursuant to Article 22(6), point (a) and Article 22(7), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, are authentic and have not been forged or tampered with.
1. When original documents are in a foreign language, obliged entities shall ensure that they understand their content.
1. For the purposes of verifying the identity of the persons referred to in Article 22(6) and Article 22(7), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, obliged entities shall obtain from that person the identity document, passport or equivalent, or a certified copy thereof, or act in accordance with Article 7.
1. Electronic identification means, as described in Article 7(1), shall be permitted to verify the identity of the natural person in a face-to-face context where they are available to the customer, any person purporting to act on behalf of the customer, and the natural persons on whose behalf or for the benefit of whom a transaction or activity is being carried out.