Can an expired passport be used as an ID? The short answer is no; an expired passport or photo ID is officially an invalid form of identification and cannot be used to verify identity when setting up a bank account, taking out a loan, buying a house or getting legal advice, for example. It can, however, be used to identify the person's country of origin or verify their age. However, you can return expired identification, such as a driving licence to the DVLA free of charge. It is recommended that old passports are kept as they may hold some important value.
A photo ID such as a passport or a driver's licence is used to verify the identity of its holder; if this document is out of date or invalid for any reason, the document can be considered compromised and no longer useable. With the information on these documents stored on the government systems, it is essential that information is accurate and kept up to date.
Businesses like banks and public services such as the police will use the physical copy of your ID and cross-reference it with information held on government databases. If a document is outdated, you could be asked to update it, be refused service, and sometimes receive a fine. This is why it is essential to keep all photo identification up to date.
Without a valid form of identification, your identity is difficult to verify. You can learn more about how a person's identity is verified here. It is essential to keep any old documents you have safely hidden away; if obtained by criminals, these can be used to steal your identity; this is called identity theft.
If an imposter or a criminal obtains personally identifiable information (PII) on you, such as your driver's licence number or National Insurance number, they then use it to impersonate you. This is called identity theft or identity fraud.
With that information, criminals can take out credit cards in the victim's name, run up debts, and purchase goods and services. And in some instances, criminals can use the information maliciously by using a false identity to commit crimes.
This is when a thief uses a victim's PII or personally identifiable information to open new bank accounts. The criminal may also use this data to take out a mobile phone contract, apply for credit cards, or even take out car finance, this can serisosly effect the victims credit report.
When a victim's personal information is used to gain access illegally to their existing accounts, this is called account takeover identity fraud. A thief will often change the registered or home address of the account holder; by the time the victim has realised what has happened, the criminal is likely to have spent as much money as possible.
With the advancement of technology and the internet, identity theft has become easier than ever; thieves are using the information they have stolen and performing online transactions without the need to identify themselves personally. You can read more about identity theft here.
If your ID has expired, when applying for a bank account, a loan or credit, you will need a copy of your National Insurance card or number and birth certificate and any form of identity card. Also, take your expired documents with you, as this may help verify your identity. Businesses must follow high levels of due diligence, and additional checks will be needed. You may need to meet face to face.
Thankfully, there is technology in the market that deals with this eventuality. We at Validient offer digital onboarding solutions that verify client identities while following the highest levels of due diligence. Suppose a client does not have a photo ID. In that case, we will perform additional checks to confirm their identity while notifying businesses of any red flags, such as address matching and name matching on existing bank accounts.
Automated software is swift and very accurate, allowing businesses to act and make judgments confidently; this reduces risks, saves time and reduces the operating costs of client identity verification. Not having a photo ID can be inconvenient, but it shouldn't prevent accessing services. This kind of software means that businesses are safer against fraud, and clients are less likely to be victims of identity theft.
And with the introduction of Liveness Check facial recognition software, we can capture biometric images of clients' faces, adding a layer of security and verification when dealing with new clients. The clients personal details are always encrypted and can not be stolen by a third party.
Having an up-to-date photo ID is the best option, with a driver's licence free to update; it is recommended that this is done. However, if a valid photo ID isn't possible, a birth certificate and a National Insurance Number are suitable alternatives. However, there may be additional checks, and verification procedures for businesses will perform. Automated verification software is the quickest and safest way to verify the identities of those with and without photo identification. We were designed to follow the highest levels of due diligence and be risk-averse. We at Validient offer highly competitive pricing options that will guarantee to reduce the cost of manual onboarding while saving time and increasing customer retention
