EU Onboarding

EU onboarding combines regulatory obligations under European AML directives with configurable identity verification methods.

It includes:

• Business verification (KYB)
• Individual identity verification (KYC)
• Beneficial ownership disclosure (≥ 25%)
• Compliance review and approval

This guide explains how onboarding works in the European Union for business, implementation, and technical teams.

Regulatory context

EU onboarding is governed by Anti-Money Laundering (AML) directives and local regulatory requirements across EU member states.

These regulations require:

• Verification of business existence
• Identification of Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs ≥ 25%)
• Identification of authorized representatives
• Identity verification of applicants and required stakeholders

As a result:

• Registry lookup may be used for corporate verification
• Document submission may be required
• Compliance approval is mandatory before activation

Onboarding overview

EU onboarding supports:

• Electronic KYB (eKYB)
• Manual KYB
• Electronic KYC (eKYC)
• Manual KYC (for stakeholders only)

Manual review may occur when:

• Registry lookup fails
• Electronic verification fails
• Required stakeholder roles are missing
• Ownership structures are complex
• Documentation is incomplete or inconsistent

Responsibility

Client responsibilities

The client's onboarding responsibilities include:

• Collect accurate business and stakeholder information
• Declare all required stakeholder roles
• Declare UBOs (≥ 25% ownership)
• Capture applicant attestation
• Upload required documents
• Ensure stakeholders complete identity verification

Nium responsibilities

Nium's onboarding responsibilities include:

• Retrieve registry information (when eKYB is used)
• Validate identity and document submissions
• Conduct compliance checks
• Raise RFIs (Requests for Information) if required
• Approve or reject onboarding

Business verification (KYB)

Nium supports both Electronic KYB (eKYB) and Manual KYB for EU businesses.

Electronic KYB (eKYB)

Electronic KYB retrieves publicly available company information from EU registries. It:

• Pre-fills corporate data
• Reduces document collection requirements
• Improves customer experience
• Speeds up approvals

Step 1: Fetch public corporate details

Collect:

• businessRegistrationNumber
• countryCode

Use the Fetch Public Corporate Details request.

Store the returned publicDetailsId.

If no details are returned, proceed with manual KYB using Create Customer v5.

Step 2: Fetch exhaustive corporate details

Use the Fetch Exhaustive Corporate Details request and include the publicDetailsId.

Store the returned searchId.

note

This is a chargeable API. Use it only once per customer.

Contact your Nium account manager or Nium Support for pricing details.

Step 3: Verify and complete corporate details

• Confirm submitted data with the applicant
• Verify directors and UBO information
• Collect any missing required information
• Add stakeholder details

Stakeholders may complete verification electronically or manually.

Step 4: Upload required documents

Document upload is required when:

• searchId is not provided
• Registry data is incomplete
• Additional documents are requested during review

Use the Create a File request to upload the required documents. For more information, see Uploading documents.

The response returns a fileId.

This fileId must be referenced in the onboarding request.

For a complete list, see EU Required Documents.

Step 5: Applicant declaration

The authorized representative must confirm:

I certify that I am an authorized representative of the customer.
All information and documents provided are complete and accurate.
I confirm that all UBOs have been disclosed and that I have accepted the Nium Terms and Conditions.

Capture via clickwrap and submit:

• applicantDeclaration
• applicantDeclarationTimestamp (format: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS)

Step 6: Submit onboarding request

Use Create Customer v5 and include:

• Corporate details
• Stakeholder details
• searchId (if applicable)
• Uploaded fileId references
• Applicant attestation fields

If searchId is omitted, the application proceeds through manual review.

Individual verification (KYC)

EU onboarding supports Electronic KYC (eKYC) for:

• Individual customers
• Corporate applicants
• Directors
• UBOs
• Required stakeholders

Manual KYC is available for stakeholders when required.

Step 1: Submit application

Create a customer using Create Customer v5.

After submission:

After submission:

status	substatus
pending	null

Nium will send the webhook once substatus changes to awaiting_kyc.

Please note: Initiate KYC verification process only after you receive substatus as awaiting_kyc.

Step 2: Access Pre-built KYC form

The applicant accesses Nium’s Pre-built KYC form.

Access is protected by a One-Time Password (OTP) sent to the registered email.

Step 3: Complete identity verification

The applicant:

• Uploads proof of identity
• Completes live selfie verification

Stakeholders must complete verification individually.

Step 4: Compliance review

After KYC completion:

status	substatus
PENDING	UNDER_REVIEW

Nium’s compliance team reviews submissions offline.

If additional information is required:

• An RFI is raised
• The customer responds via the RFI Hosted Form

Webhook notifications are sent for all status transitions.

Stakeholder and UBO requirements

Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO)

• All individuals owning ≥ 25% (directly or indirectly) must be declared as UBOs.
• If no individual meets the threshold, the most senior director must be declared.
• Corporate shareholders owning ≥ 25% must be declared.

Stakeholder verification

• All declared stakeholders must complete identity verification.
• Electronic KYC is supported.
• Manual verification is available for stakeholders when required.

Multi-layer ownership

If the customer has a multi-layer ownership structure:

• All corporate stakeholders owning ≥ 25% (directly or indirectly) must be declared.
• Corporate structure documentation must be submitted to validate the ownership chain.

For more information, see Multi-layer ownership structure.

Position mapping

Business type	DIRECTOR	PARTNER	REPRESENTATIVE	SETTLOR	SHAREHOLDER	SIGNATORY	TRUSTEE	UBO
ASSOCIATION	Yes		Yes		Yes	Yes
LIMITED_LIABILITY_PARTNERSHIP		Yes	Yes			Yes		Yes
GOVERNMENT_ENTITY			Yes			Yes
PRIVATE_COMPANY	Yes		Yes		Yes	Yes		Yes
PUBLIC_COMPANY	Yes		Yes		Yes	Yes		Yes
SOLE_TRADER			Yes			Yes		Yes
TRUST			Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes	Yes

A blank cell means the role is not applicable for that business type.

To dynamically retrieve valid roles use the Fetch Corporate Constants request.

Adding Positions

• Directors: Add all management directors as stakeholders.
• UBOs: Tag anyone owning ≥ 25% (direct or indirect). If none, the most senior director becomes the UBO.
• Representatives/Signatories: Add individuals authorized to transact or manage users (applicant is a Representative by default).
• Partners/Trustees/Settlors: Include when applicable by entity type.
• Multi-layered companies: Include all corporate stakeholders with ≥ 25% ownership and upload a Corporate Structure document (documentType: CORPORATE_STRUCTURE).

Related resources

• Pre-built KYC Form
• Customer Onboarding v5