Required Documents
Learn which documents are required to onboard businesses and individuals registered in the Canada.
Corporate customers
The following documents are required for manual KYB, based on the business entity type.
| Entity type | Document Type (enum) | Documents required |
|---|---|---|
| PRIVATE_COMPANY | BUSINESS_REGISTRATION_DOC | Articles of incorporation (optional) Certificate of corporate Status (optional) If Article of incorporation does not contain shareholder details: Shareholder registry |
| PUBLIC_COMPANY | BUSINESS_REGISTRATION_DOC | Certificate of incumbency, the articles of incorporation, or the bylaws of the corporation or subsequent board resolutions that set out the officers duly authorized to sign on behalf of the corporation |
| TRUST | TRUST_DEED | Deed of trust |
| CHARITY | N/A | |
| PARTNERSHIP | PARTNERSHIP_AGREEMENT | Partnership Agreement |
| WIDELY_HELD_TRUST | TRUST_DEED | Deed of trust |
| SOLE_TRADER | N/A |
Additional business documents****
Submit the following documents when applicable:
PROOF_OF_BUSINESS
Submit this document if no website is provided. It helps Nium verify the customer’s business activity. Accepted documents include:
- Contract, business agreement, or vendor agreement.
- Product catalog, brochure, marketing material, or business plan along with invoice describing business operations, issued within the last year
- Photo of a physical store.
CORPORATE_STRUCTURE (Ownership Chart)
Submit this document if the company has multiple ownership layers. It should include the names and share percentages of all shareholders to help identify the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO).
For guidance on multi-layer ownership, see Verifying Your Business in the CA.
For a complete list of accepted document types, see Corporate Constants.
LOA (Letter of Authorization)
Provide LOA, if the applicant is not a UBO/ DIRECTOR/ TRUSTEE/ PARTNER
Proof of Identity documents
Individual customers, applicants can verify their identity through electronic KYC or manual KYC using the KYC hosted form.
| Residency | Electronic | Biometric | Manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA resident | Yes (preferred) | Yes (fallback) | Yes |
| Non-CA resident | No | Yes (preferred) | Yes |
CA residents
CA residents can complete verification using one of the following:
- Electronic verification (preferred):
Identity is verified automatically when the individual clicks Verify in the hosted KYC form.
No document upload is required if verification succeeds. - Biometric verification:
If automatic verification fails, the individual can complete biometric verification using:
- A live selfie
- A Passport or Driver licence or National Id
- Manual verification: The individual uploads either a:
- Passport
- National ID (Residence / citizernship card)
- Drivers licence
Manual verification can result in longer review times due to compliance review.
Non-CA resident individuals
They must verify their identity using one of the following:
- Biometric verification: Live selfie with either a:
- Passport,
- Drivers licence,
- National Id (Residence / citizernship card)
Biometric verification typically results in faster approval than manual review.
- Manual verification: The applicant uploads either a:
- Passport
- Drivers licence
- National Id (Residence / citizernship card)
All manual KYC documents undergo manual checks. If Nium cannot verify authenticity, an RFI may be raised.
Note:
- A copy of a copy is not acceptable; the image must be taken directly from the original document.
- Black-and-white images are not acceptable; the document must be in color.
- Paper-based (“paper”) IDs are not acceptable (e.g., temporary, interim, or printed versions).
- All information must be clearly legible.
PROOF_OF_ADDRESS documents
Submit a valid proof of address. Acceptable proof of address are:
- Utility bill (gas, electric, telephone, cable)
- Credit card bill
- Bank or brokerage account statement
- Government issued letter
- Driver’s license/Passport/National ID card (if address is listed)
Note:
- All Proof of Address documents must be dated within 60 days (not applicable to Driver’s license and National ID card).
- Cropped documents are not accepted.
- Invoices are not accepted.
- PO BOX and CMRA addresses are not accepted.
- The same document cannot be used for Proof of Identity and Proof of Address.
For details, see: