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Identity verification FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about identity verification

Updated this week

Identity verification (IDV) is the process of confirming that you are who you claim to be. This process helps prevent fraud and protects sensitive information. IDV is done using your smartphone.

IDV is mandatory for Federal incorporation and incorporations in some provinces.

Learn more about IDV from the FAQs on this page.

What is IDV?

The IDV is the process that confirms that you are who you claim to be. It authenticates a picture of you and a piece of your government identification.

Why does Ownr need to verify my Identity?

The federal and some provincial governments require identify verification to incorporate a business. It is done to prevent fraud and bad actors from abusing the business incorporation system.

Why am I being directed to an RBC tool?

As an RBC company, Ownr has access to RBC’s technology. Ownr uses RBC’s tool strictly for the purpose of verifying your identity to meet government requirements for incorporation.

Does Ownr share my photo and ID information with RBC?

No, your information will not be stored or used by RBC. A third party digitally processes the ID images, with a manual check run only if digital checks fail. The third party does not share images with Ownr or RBC, even for troubleshooting purposes. The third party retains images for 90 days for fraud mitigation purposes.

What is the IDV process?

Ownr uses a digital document verification tool provided by RBC for IDV.

It is a three step process that you follow on your smart phone:

  1. Take a picture of an approved form of government-issued identification.

  2. Take a live photo of yourself to confirm that you are the one performing your own IDV.

  3. Check the checkbox in Ownr to confirm that you have completed the process on your phone.

Why do I need to use a smartphone for IDV?

The “liveness” check on your selfie that is done to be sure that you’re the person on your government-issued ID, requires smartphone technology. It’s possible for fraudsters to find ways around these checks via a laptop camera.

Which forms of IDs are accepted?

We accept the following forms of ID for IDV:

Some government-issued documents are not accepted because they do not have the required security features that allow for rigorous digital IDV.

Consult the list below to confirm that you are using a valid form of identification.

Click here to display the list of accepted forms of identification

Canadian Identification documents

  • Canadian passport

  • Permanent residence card

  • Certificate of Indian Status

Provincial identification documents

  • Provincial driver's license

  • Alberta photo identification card

  • British Columbia services card

  • Manitoba identification card

  • Nova Scotia photo identification card

  • Ontario photo card

  • Saskatchewan non-driver photo ID
    ​

US Identification documents

  • American passport

  • State driver’s license

International passports

Passports from the following countries are accepted:

  • Aland Islands

  • Albania

  • Algeria

  • American Samoa

  • Andorra

  • Anguilla

  • Argentina

  • Armenia

  • Australia

  • Austria

  • Azerbaijan

  • Bahrain

  • Bangladesh

  • Belarus

  • Belgium

  • Belize

  • Bolivia

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Botswana

  • Brazil

  • Bulgaria

  • Burkina Faso

  • Burundi

  • Cameroon

  • Cap Verde

  • Chile

  • China

  • Cocos Islands

  • Colombia

  • Côte d'Ivoire

  • Croatia

  • Cuba

  • Cyprus

  • Czech Republic

  • Denmark

  • Djibouti

  • East Timor

  • Ecuador

  • Egypt

  • Estonia

  • Finland

  • France

  • French Guiana

  • French Polynesia

  • Georgia

  • Germany

  • Ghana

  • Greece

  • Guadeloupe

  • Guam

  • Heard and Mcdonald Island

  • Hungary

  • Iceland

  • Indonesia

  • Iran

  • Ireland

  • Israel

  • Italy

  • Jamaica

  • Japan

  • Jordan

  • Kazakhstan

  • Kiribati

  • South Korea

  • Kuwait

  • Latvia

  • Lithuania

  • Luxembourg

  • Macedonia

  • Malaysia

  • Maldives

  • Mali

  • Malta

  • Mauritania

  • Mauritius

  • Mexico

  • Moldova

  • Monaco

  • Montenegro

  • Morocco

  • Nauru

  • Nepal

  • Netherlands

  • New Caledonia

  • New Zealand

  • Nicaragua

  • Niger

  • Nigeria

  • Niue

  • Norfolk Island

  • Northern Mariana Islands

  • Norway

  • Oman

  • Palau

  • Palestine

  • Panama

  • Peru

  • Philippines

  • Poland

  • Portugal

  • Puerto Rico

  • Kosovo

  • Réunion

  • Romania

  • Russia

  • Rwanda

  • Saint Lucia

  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon

  • Saint-Barthélemy

  • Senegal

  • Serbia

  • Sierra Leone

  • Singapore

  • Slovakia

  • Slovenia

  • Spain

  • Suriname

  • Sweden

  • Switzerland

  • Taiwan

  • Tanzania

  • Thailand

  • Tonga

  • Trinidad and Tobago

  • Tunisia

  • Turkey

  • Turkmenistan

  • Uganda

  • Ukraine

  • United Kingdom

  • Uruguay

  • Vietnam

How long do I have to complete the IDV process?

You have 30 minutes to complete the IDV process before the QR code that is displayed in Ownr expires.

If more than 30 minutes has passed, refresh your Ownr browser window to generate a new QR code and start the verification process on your phone again.

Where can I find more help with IDV?

If you are using Ownr on your computer, follow the step by step instructions in the How to complete identity verification on your computer article.

If you are using Ownr on your phone, follow the step by step instructions in the How to complete identity verification on your mobile device article.

What if my identity cannot be verified using the IDV check?

Ontario businesses have the option to incorporate federally or provincially. Corporations Canada imposes rigorous compliance obligations to federal corporations, which include stringent identity verification requirements. ID document verification is not required for Ontario provincial incorporation.

Both Federal and Ontario Provincial corporations can operate from and do business anywhere in or outside of Ontario or Canada (as long as they comply with the law of the jurisdictions in which they operate). The main difference is that Ontario provincial corporations must retain a registered head office in Ontario at all times. Additionally, Ontario provincial corporations typically do not pay fees for their annual returns, do not have to file information about their individuals with significant control (ISCs) with the government, and are not required to have a minimum number of Canadian residents as directors.

You can opt for “Federal Canadian” or “Provincial Canadian” in the “Corporate Information” section of your Ownr registration.

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