Identity verification – methods, verification and claims

If members wish to verify the identity of a person, there are a number of different procedures based on proof that has been issued by official bodies or organizations. However, DENIC only accepts a defined group of procedures and proofs.

 

Methods

eIDAS

eIDAS is the abbreviation for “electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services” and is the designation for EU Regulation 910/2014. Behind this is the regulation for EU member states on legally secure digital proof of identity, digital signatures and EUid wallets (amendment from 2024). The EUid Wallet, or “European Wallet for Digital Identity”, enables EU citizens to identify themselves to companies and state institutions by means of an EUid Wallet app and the eID (“electronic identification”, in Germany often the electronic ID card) stored there, by disclosing the necessary information, so-called attributes (or claims), of the digital identity.

 

POSTIDENT

The identity check service of the German postal service "Deutsche Post" is called "POST IDENTifikation" or just POSTIDENT. It comprises various procedures for establishing identification, including, for example, identification via video chat or in a post office. In this procedure, a person is identified by means of a valid identity document (identity card or passport).

 

Transaction Records

Transaction records are data that document satisfactorily that a transaction (such as payment by direct debit, transfer, credit card) has taken place. Members who have access to such data due to payments by domain holders can use these data as evidence.

 

Electronic Documents and Paper Documents

This group comprises a wide range of documents that contain usable identification information. Documents of this type could be, for instance, an identity card, an excerpt from a population register, a residence permit, a driver's license or an electricity bill. The members must guarantee by suitable procedures that the data in the document can be verified.

 

Photo-Ident and Video-Ident

These are procedures made available by various providers that identify a person through biometric data (face, fingerprint) in case of Photo-Ident or through a guided process by a qualified verifier in case of Video-Ident. The person is identified by means of physical characteristics (face) and specific documents associated to this person.

 

Reachability

In procedures checking on the reachability of a person, the person concerned must actively acknowledge their data. To identify a person via their address, a document is sent by post. The addressee must confirm the receipt of this document. In the course of this confirmation, the personal data are checked. An e-mail address can be checked by including a confirmation link in the mail. The recipient must click this link to confirm the address.

 

Claims

Claims are certain characteristics in a contact that can be verified.

DENIC accepts the verification of the

• name,

• address and

• e-mail.

 

Evidences

The table contains a list of the sources or certificates from which the claims may come. There may be requirements for the certificate that must be met in order for the certificate to be used. These may be, for example, certain organizations, bodies or authorities that issue and authenticate a certificate.

DENIC only accepts documentary evidence that meets these requirements.

The table also shows that the member has the option of offering the domain owner several procedures per documentary evidence.

Proof	Proof description	Method	Claims
ID card	Verification by an official and valid ID card; including emergency ID cards, ID cards for refugees, asylum seekers and apatrids	eIDAS POSTIDENT electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name address (if available)
Passport	Verification by an official and valid passport	POSTIDENT electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name
Population register	Verification through an official excerpt from the population register (“Meldebescheinigung”) – (in countries where applicable)	electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name address
Residence permit	Verification through an official and valid residence permit issued by an official authority	electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name address
Proof of arrival	Verification through an official and valid proof of arrival issued by an official authority	electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name
FührerscheinDriver's license	Verification through an official and valid driver's license issued by an official authority	electronic documents paper documents photo-ident video-ident	name
Company register	Verification through an excerpt from the commercial or cooperative register or a comparable official register or directory	electronic documents	name address
Founding documents	Verification through founding documents or equivalent evidentiary documents	electronic documents paper documents	name address
Federal Gazette	Verification through an excerpt from the Federal Gazette (“Bundesanzeiger”)	electronic documents	name
Record of payment via direct debit / transfer or credit card	Successful execution of a payment in which the data to be verified is securely transmitted by the payment service provider	transaction records	name
Record of payment via online payment	Successful execution of a payment in which the data to be verified is securely transmitted by the payment service provider	transaction records	name address e-mail
Utility bill	Verification via a utility bill	electronic documents paper documents	name address
Bank statement	Verification via an official statement from a recognized banking institution	electronic documents paper documents	name address
Tax statement	Official certificate from the tax authorities of a country	electronic documents paper documents	name address
Written confirmation by an already verified natural person	A written/printed statement/letter from a recognised person or authority regarding the identity of the user	paper documents	name address e-mail
Digital confirmation by an already verified natural person	A digital statement/letter from a recognised person or authority regarding the identity of the user	electronic documents	name address e-mail
Postal transaction log	A digital transaction log of an appropriate confirmation action of postal verification, such as confirmation of receipt, entering a code or clicking a link	POSTIDENT reachability	name address
E-mail transaction log	A digital transaction log of an appropriate confirmation action of email verification, such as entering a code or clicking a link	reachability	e-mail
Address Database	Information from a reliable address database	transaction records	address