The process of document-based address verification includes the following steps:

1. Applicants upload photos of their PoA documents via WebSDK and MobileSDK. This can also be done by you via the Sumsub API.
2. Sumsub performs the following:
   • Checks the documents for authenticity, image integrity, and validates the document data.
   • Extracts the full name, home address, and issue date from the document using an OCR engine — to extract plain text, and then a machine learning algorithm — to structure and group the data into logical blocks.
   • Validates the extracted data to ensure it is a full address and it really exists.
   • Ensures the document is not expired.
   • Validates the extracted PoA data against the data from the ID document and the available data sources — external map services, such as Google Maps, Open Street Map, and others.
3. You handle verification results.

There are certain requirements that PoA documents must meet to successfully pass verification. These requirements are applied to the original document, its contents, and photo characteristics.

Document requirements

The PoA documents must meet the following requirements:

• The document was issued less than 3 month (by default) before the upload date. You can configure the list of documents accepted for your service and their expiry periods in the global settings or when customizing verification levels.
• The document is not scratched, stained, or torn.
• The applicant full name, home address, and the document issue date (in most cases) information is present and readable.
• The document is issued either in paper or electronic (PDF) form.

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Consider the following conditions applied by default to all PoA checks:

• All PO BOX addresses are accepted by default.
• PoI documents as PoA documents are allowed.
• Same document can be accepted on both PoI and PoA steps.
• Business addresses are allowed.
• Mobile phone bills are allowed.

Content requirements

PoA documents must contain:

• Owner full name and full home address.
• Issue date.
• Issuing authority identification data.

Photo requirements

The PoA document photo to be uploaded should meet the following requirements:

• The file is an original photo (static image) or scan (not a screenshot or a photo uploaded from social networks) in JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF.
• If the document has data on the front and back, the photos of both sides should be uploaded.
• The file size is under 50Mb.
• Information in the document is readable.
• All corners of the document are visible and no foreign objects or graphic elements are present.
• The uploaded photo has not been edited with any software or converted to PDF.

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Attention

None of the documents can be submitted as a screenshot.

Authenticity detection

The image authenticity check is intended to ensure that the uploaded image has not been tampered with. This process involves automated signature and pixel analysis.

Signature analysis

A software signature includes file metadata, compression parameters, vendor or software-specific tags, sections, and so on.

We utilize an extensive database of camera and software signatures to determine the source of an image, detect traces of modification software, and estimate the risk of intended image tampering (as opposed to cosmetic changes like cropping, resizing or rotation).

Pixel analysis

This method is used in addition to signature analysis to identify abnormal areas within the image. For example, deviations from sustainable local characteristics.

Integrity detection

Integrity checks are designed to ensure the uploaded image represents an official document by comparing it with a template from the database of original documents.

Sumsub integrity checks:

• General conformity to the template.
• Font originality and compliance with the relevant standards (width, spaces between the letters, and so on).
• Required fields and inscriptions.