> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shorpay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Identity Verification (KYC & KYB)

> How Shor verifies companies and workers.

Before anyone can send or receive money through Shor, they go through identity verification. Companies complete **KYB** (Know Your Business), and workers complete **KYC** (Know Your Customer). This keeps the platform compliant and, more importantly, safe.

## Why This Matters

Identity verification prevents:

* **Payments to the wrong person** (identity theft, impersonation)
* **Money laundering** through fake shell companies or ghost workers
* **Sanctions violations** (paying someone on a restricted list)
* **Tax evasion** (paying someone who shouldn't be working in a given country)

Skipping it isn't an option for any regulated payments platform. And even without the regulation, you wouldn't want money flowing through a system without basic identity checks.

## KYB for Businesses

Every business on Shor goes through KYB during onboarding. We verify:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="The Business Exists" icon="building-check">
    We check your registration against the relevant government registry and confirm you're in good standing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="An Authorised Representative Is Submitting" icon="user-shield">
    The person completing verification must be able to bind the company — typically a director, officer, or authorised agent.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Beneficial Ownership" icon="diagram-project">
    Every Beneficial Owner (25%+ ownership) and any Controlling Persons are disclosed and verified, as required by regulations in most jurisdictions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business Purpose" icon="briefcase">
    We check the business description, source of funds, expected payroll volume, and whether you're a payroll provider for other clients against high-risk categories that would require extra review.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What You Need for KYB

* **Certificate of Incorporation** (or equivalent registration)
* **Bank Statement**
* **Proof of Address** issued within the last 3 months (utility bill, bank statement, or lease)
* **Tax Registration Document** (EIN letter for US, or country equivalent)
* ID and address details for every Beneficial Owner, Controlling Person, and Authorised Representative
* Company details, source of funds, expected payroll volume, and how you'll use Shor

## KYC for Workers

Every worker going through KYC provides:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Government Photo ID" icon="id-card">
    Passport, driver's license, or national ID. Verified against the issuing authority where possible. The ID establishes legal name, date of birth, and nationality.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Liveness Selfie" icon="camera">
    A real-time photo that confirms the ID matches the person creating the account, blocking impersonation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Residential Address" icon="house">
    Your current address, confirmed against your ID where possible. Some countries require a recent utility bill or bank statement as additional proof.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Phone Number" icon="phone">
    For account security and payment notifications.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Tax forms (W-9, W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E) are collected **separately during contract signing**, not during KYC. Which form applies depends on the worker's tax residency and whether they contract as an individual or a business entity.
</Note>

## Ongoing Monitoring

Verification isn't a one-time event. Shor:

* Re-screens workers and businesses against sanctions lists regularly
* Triggers re-verification when high-risk changes are detected (large payment volume increase, new beneficial owner, change of business jurisdiction)
* Lets you update your own records at any time (a new address, a new owner, a new tax ID) from your profile

## Timing

**Worker KYC**

* **Automated verification** (the default path) usually finishes in minutes once the worker submits their ID and selfie
* **Manual review** (when automated checks can't resolve something) typically completes within 1-2 business days

**Business KYB**

* Every submission is reviewed by **Shor's compliance team** after the automated checks, so approvals are not instant
* Straightforward cases (single jurisdiction, complete documents, no sanctions hits) are typically approved within one business day
* **Complex cases** (multi-jurisdiction entities, unusual ownership structures, high-risk industries) may take longer; we'll always email you if we need more information

## Privacy of Verification Data

Your identity documents and beneficial ownership information are encrypted and accessed on a need-to-know basis. Your employer sees your **verification status** (pending, verified, failed), not the documents themselves. See [Data privacy](/platform/data-privacy) for more.

## What Happens If Verification Fails

You get a specific, actionable email. Typical reasons:

* Blurry, cropped, or expired documents → upload clearer, current versions
* Address mismatch → update your profile or upload a proof-of-address that matches
* Name mismatch between ID and account → ensure the name on your Shor profile matches your legal ID exactly
* Sanctions or PEP hit → case-by-case, usually requires manual review and additional information

For **worker KYC**, a decline also surfaces immediately in the app: the onboarding screen explains what likely went wrong and offers a **Try Again** button (to start a fresh session) and a **Contact Support** button, so you don't have to wait on the email.

If something's blocking you that you think is wrong, reach out. Manual review exists for exactly these cases.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Security" icon="shield-halved" href="/platform/security">
    How Shor protects data and money overall.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data Privacy" icon="lock" href="/platform/data-privacy">
    Who can see what on Shor.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>