Remote Identity Verification with Biometrics: PhotoVerify

Automated Selfie Verification with Anti-Spoofing

BioID PhotoVerify is a service for automated verification of ID ownership. It is tailored to enable compliant remote identity proofing. The API provides a reliable face match that accurately recognizes whether the person on the identity document is the one looking at the camera. At the same time, ISO compliant liveness detection ensures that the person is present. This deters spoofing with photos, videos and other presentation attacks. The PhotoVerify API can be integrated directly into any website or mobile app, with strong and intuitive biometric selfie verification through the user’s webcam or smartphone camera.

BioID Photoverify combines proprietary liveness detection and face recognition technology. Hereby, it addresses the challenges of manual identity verification. PhotoVerify API replaces cumbersome workflows with a convenient and reliable solution for:

Selfie verification for online banking and digital onboarding
Electronic document signing and online legal transactions
Online renewal of identity documents (passports, IDs, etc.)
“Proof of life” verification for recipients of pensions and benefits
Verifying attributes such as citizenship, age, home address, etc.

Remote identity verification through “live” face matching

Automated identity proofing is required for efficient digital onboarding. Such processes need to be available 24×7 with seamless user experience. At the same time, for complying with KYC and AML regulations, companies need to be sure of their customers’ legal identities. This used to involve face-to-face identity verification in person or was handled online through video chat with agents. Unfortunately, this is costly for service providers and inconvenient for users.

Thus, in 2018, BioID developed an API for automated biometric verification of ID ownership, called PhotoVerify. Since then, the technology is relied upon by governmental services, fintech and other service providers around the world. Through long-proven liveness detection and face matching, PhotoVerify determines that the person submitting the ID document actually owns it. Combined with an ID authenticity check this enables trusted automated selfie verification.

Benefits of Remote Identity Verification with PhotoVerify

More convenient, simple user experience 24×7

COST savings through automation

Eliminating Human Error

Accuracy Through Biometrics

How PhotoVerify API verifies ID ownership

BioID PhotoVerify is easy to use and only requires three images, captured through the user’s webcam or smartphone camera:

Two live recorded photos. These are analyzed to ensure liveness and prevent photo / video replay and other presentation attacks.
One snapshot of a photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license. This is compared to the live images with biometric face matching.

BioID’s sophisticated algorithm automatically matches the two sources and identifies the authenticating person within seconds. It makes sure that (1) the live images are truly from a live person, not a photo or video, and (2) the live person matches the ID photo. Since no biometric templates or photos are stored and all data is deleted after the operation, it fulfills all requirements for an anonymous identity verification service and is GDPR compliant. This technology is based on BioID’s cloud service with long proven face recognition and patented liveness detection. It can easily be integrated for any browser- or mobile-based application.

Our customers within and outside the EU benefit from automating their identity verification processes through regulatory compliance: PhotoVerify enables remote digital onboarding that is more economical, secure and customer-friendly.

Interested in remote identity verification?