Unable to Verify Identity with International Passport

[tanzbar]

Hi there, 

I am trying to verify my account but it's not working. I am using my correct passport and passport number. It's a German passport though, not an Australian one. 

I have used the same details on the Square verification page as listed on MyGov so I don't understand why it doesn't work. The platform doesn't even ask for a picture of my passport. What could be the problem, so I can try and fix it?

Which government page does Square use to verify the information? 

Thank you, 

Katie

[Laurie_]

Hi there, @tanzbar 👋,

I'm sorry to hear you're running into some problems trying to sign up for Square!

As a part of the verification process, we require an Australian Government-issued ID. Do you currently possess any such document, like a temporary driver's license or a Medicare card, that you can provide at this time?

In the meantime, I've included our sign-up troubleshooting steps for your reference. I recommend reviewing these steps before reentering your details.

[tanzbar]

Hi Laurie, 

Thank you. No, I do not have an Australian ID - is that a problem? Does it not work with a foreign passport? I do have a valid visa, pay my taxes etc. Happy to submit any other documents that might help. 

Reading through the forum, I believe I am having issues because I have no credit bureau entry in Australia, s. here: https://www.sellercommunity.com/t5/New-to-Square/Unable-to-verify-identity/td-p/642924

Could that be the case? 

Best, 

Katie

[Laurie_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @tanzbar,

That's a great question! It's true that individuals who have recently relocated to Australia might face some hurdles when it comes to passing the identity verification step. The primary reason is that this process necessitates an Australian Government-issued form of ID or an equivalent document, such as a Residence Permit.
 

Our aim is to make this process as seamless as possible for you. Typically, sellers have up to four attempts to successfully complete the automatic identity verification process, which is conducted through our partner Equifax, in order to activate their Square account for card processing. While we don't require a specific credit score, we do use your credit history to help verify the personal information you've provided. If you have limited credit history in Australia, it might pose a challenge for verification at this time.
 

We understand that this may not be the answer you were hoping for, but if your final attempt fails, it's worth considering trying again in a few months. Government databases are continually updated with new information, and your verification status may change over time.

If you have any further questions about this process, contact our Support Team at 1800 760 137 (Mon - Fri, 9 am - 5 pm Melbourne time), or contact us via online chat or email. See the below steps.

1. Sign in to your Square account

2. Head to our contact page https://squ.re/3AWfZs2

3. Go to "Other", then "I don't see my issue"

4. Click "Message us", "Email us" or "Call Us"

Or, if you see the new chatbot help flow, type “support” to bring up a list of contact methods.

[tanzbar]

Hi Laurie, 

Thank you. Can you please confirm what you mean by "Australian Government-issued form of ID or an equivalent document"? What is an equivalent document? Is a EU passport considered equivalent? After all, I was able to select a different country as issuing country on the verification page. 

Best,
Katie

[Laurie_]

Hi again @tanzbar,

Of course, I'd be happy to provide some more information here!

For some sellers who have made all four attempts without success, we may request further verification by asking for a selfie along with your ID. In such cases, we may also request alternative documentation. However, please be aware that not every account will be required to go through this additional step. If you haven't come across this option, it's likely because we haven't been able to match the information you provided with what's currently on record in Government databases.
 

It's possible that Square may not be able to support your card processing needs at this time. It's a good idea to check back in a few months to see if you can successfully complete this step. 
 

If you've got more questions about your sign-up experience, don't hesitate to reach out to our Support Team! They're the pros when it comes to helping you out with all the specifics. Since we're on a public platform here, we can give you general info, but diving deep into the nitty-gritty of your Square account is best handled by our Support Team. 

I wish you all the best!

[Nikki152]

Hi Katie,

I’m having the same issue trying to sign up for square. I have no Australian forms of ID just my Canadian passport. Did you find a way through? 

thank you,

Anik 

[tanzbar]

Hi Anik!

I did indeed! The Square team wasn't particularly helpful but I did a bunch of online research and I believe the problem was not the passport but that I had no credit score/record in Australia. So I got my husband to get me a credit card through his account, used that a couple of times and voilà, I was able to sign up and have been using Square without any problems since! So I don't know if that really was the problem but it worked for me 🙂 

Not sure if that's an option for you. There might be other ways, too. I had searched the Square forum and found some posts from Australians who couldn't sign up and who eventually figured out it had to do with the (missing) credit report. Good luck!

[Nikki152]

Daaaang thank you! It’s a bit of a mission as I need it in a week’s time for an event (go procrastination 😂), might just have to do without for this one but hopefully it’ll work for the next! 

Thanks so much for the quick reply 🙏 😊

[tanzbar]

Maybe you can use someone else's account? I had my husband sign up (also international passport and it worked with no problem) and then used his account for my first event 🙂 

Good luck!

[Daril79]

I purchased a 'Square Reader' and completed the registration but the system could not verify my ID.

I am from India and yet hold an Indian Passport, but in the registration questions I gave my current address in Australia. Maybe it is quite possible that the system was checking my passport address and noted the India address.

What is the solution to this problem? 

[Laurie_]

Hi @Daril79,

I'm going to merge your post with a thread where we've answered a similar question!

The issue may be twofold here, in that we do require confirmation of Australian Government-issued ID, as well as some form of credit history in Australia. While we don't perform a credit check, we do use the information from credit bureaus to verify your details.

Have a look at the Best Answer and let me know if you have any further questions.

[Daril79]

If I had known about all these issues before making the purchase, I would not have chosen Square Reader. It has been more than one month since I tried to complete the verification. Nowhere was it mentioned that my credit score was a part of the verification. Now, the vendor is not obliged to refund what I paid for the device. It seems like a dead loss. When I browsed online for such a device, I saw a lot of technical specs, but nothing about these potential obstacles.