Audience:
Identification levels and processes
Two key terms are essential to understand identifications at Swan: levels and processes.
- Level: the credential your users must be awarded to meet local regulatory requirements.
- Process: the specific process your users can follow to fulfill a level.
Processes vary in strength; in other words, there is a hierarchy between them. This means that one process can award more than one level. The process your users should complete depends on the type of account and location.
Processes and the levels they award
Identification levels and processes have the same names in the Swan API. The following table explains each process and indicates which levels a successful completion awards.
| Process | Explanation | Levels awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Expert | Requires a manual, asynchronous review by an expert in identifications. It can be used to verify an account holder's legal representative as well as account memberships. | Expert level only |
| PVID Prestataires de vérification d'identité à distance | Verifies a user's identity by capturing and verifying identity documents, then performing facial recognition. Any individual opening an account from an eligible account country can use PVID to complete identification, if you configure it that way. Refer to identification recommendations by country for eligible account countries. PVID translates to Remote Identity Verification Service Providers in English. | PVID and Expert levels |
| QES Qualified Electronic Signature | Confirms who created a document, and that the document hasn't been altered since being signed. If both elements are confirmed, QES validates the authenticity and integrity of the document. Then, the user signs Swan's Terms and Conditions. Qualified electronic signatures are compliant with EU Regulation No 910/2014 (eIDAS Regulation) for electronic transactions within Europe. Qualified electronic signatures are the digital equivalent to handwritten signatures. QES predominantly verifies individual account holders and requires a manual, asynchronous identity review by an expert before starting the signature. | QES and Expert levels |
- Your user successfully completes the PVID process. They're awarded both PVID and Expert levels.
- Your user successfully completes the QES process. They're awarded both QES and Expert levels.
Find the list of identificationLevels in the user query.
To start an identification, follow the guide to get a user access token.
AutoSwan recommends choosing Auto instead of a specific process when defining the required identification level.
Doing so allows Swan to direct your users to the most appropriate identification flow for their situation.
Recommendations
Accepted identification processes vary by country based on local regulations. For each account country and type of account, Swan recommends a process and, if possible, offers other acceptable processes. Changing the identification process in your product requires Swan's approval.
Refer to identification recommendations by country for the recommended and accepted processes for each account country and account type, including self-employed account holders.