What is KYC verification?
KYC verification is the step that confirms a client is who they claim to be, using reliable and independent evidence — a valid identity document checked for authenticity, or a qualified electronic identification. For remote clients it normally combines document authentication with a biometric liveness check that binds the person to the document.
Written by Andréas Hobbelin · Last updated
Accepted verification methods
Under Spanish and Portuguese AML rules, verification must rest on reliable, independent sources. In practice that means:
- Valid government identity document — passport, DNI, NIE card, or national ID from the client's country.
- Document authenticity checks — machine-readable zone, security features, expiry and tampering detection.
- Biometric verification with liveness — a selfie match that proves the holder is present and real, not a photograph.
- Qualified electronic identification or a qualified electronic signature where available.
- Company verification through registry extracts (Registro Mercantil, or the equivalent in the client's jurisdiction) plus UBO evidence.
Non-face-to-face clients
Most international buyers in Spain and Portugal are onboarded remotely. Remote onboarding is permitted, but it must be done with methods that give equivalent certainty to a face-to-face check and it must be documented — including the technical evidence of the check, not just its outcome.
Common verification failures
Typical findings include: expired documents accepted; a photocopy retained with no evidence of authenticity checking; the person verified but the company structure behind them left unverified; and screening carried out against the name on the document without recording how a possible match was resolved.
Frequently asked questions
Is a scanned passport copy enough?
No. Retaining a copy is a recordkeeping step, not verification. You must be able to evidence that the document's authenticity and the holder's identity were actually checked.
Can KYC verification be done fully online?
Yes, when the method provides equivalent assurance — typically document authentication combined with a biometric liveness check — and the evidence is retained.
Sources and further reading
Put this into practice
PropComply structures KYC/CDD once per client and shares it securely with the parties in the transaction — each keeping their own independent decision.
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