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UK Onboarding

UK onboarding combines regulatory requirements under the UK’s AML (Anti-Money Laundering) framework with configurable 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 United Kingdom.

Regulatory context​

UK onboarding is governed by Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations.

These regulations require:

  • Verification of business existence via public registries
  • Identification of Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs)
  • Identity verification of authorized representatives

As a result:

  • Registry lookup is commonly used for UK companies (eKYB)
  • Document submission may still be required
  • Compliance approval is mandatory before activation

Onboarding overview​

UK onboarding supports:

  • Electronic KYB (eKYB)
  • Manual KYB
  • Electronic KYC (default)
  • Manual KYC (stakeholders only)

Manual review may occur when:

  • Registry lookup fails or returns incomplete data
  • Electronic verification fails
  • Required stakeholder roles are missing
  • Ownership structures are complex or multi-layered
  • Documentation is incomplete or inconsistent

For document requirements, see UK Required Documents

For request structure, see UK Required Parameters

Responsibility​

Client responsibilities​

The client is responsible for:

  • Collecting accurate business and stakeholder information.
  • Declaring all required stakeholder roles.
  • Declaring all Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) (>25%).
  • Capturing applicant attestation.
  • Uploading required documents.
  • Ensuring stakeholders complete identity verification via the Pre-built KYC form.

Nium responsibilities​

Nium is responsible for:

  • Retrieving registry information.
  • Validating identity and documents.
  • Conducting compliance checks.
  • Raising RFIs (Requests for Information) if required.
  • Approving or rejecting onboarding.

Business verification (KYB)​

UK supports both Electronic KYB (eKYB) and Manual KYB.

Electronic KYB (eKYB)​

Electronic KYB retrieves publicly available company information from UK registries. Once retrieved, it:

  • Pre-fills corporate data
  • Reduces document requirements
  • Improves onboarding speed
  • Minimizes manual input

Step 1: Fetch public corporate details​

To support electronic KYB (eKYB), retrieve publicly available company details before creating the customer.

Collect:

  • businessRegistrationNumber
  • countryCode

Use the Fetch Public Corporate Details request.

This returns publicly available company data.

Display results to the applicant and allow them to:

  • Select the correct entity
  • Confirm the registration number
  • Review returned details

If multiple results are returned:

  • The applicant must select the correct entity

If no results are returned:

  • Use Create Customer v5
  • Provide all details manually
  • The application will follow the manual KYB flow

Step 2: Fetch exhaustive corporate details​

Use the Fetch Exhaustive Corporate Details

  • Input: publicDetailsId
  • Output: searchId
important

This is a chargeable API and should only be called once per customer.

This returns:

  • Directors
  • Shareholders
  • Ownership structure

Step 3: Verify and complete corporate details​

  • Confirm all data with the applicant
  • Add missing required fields
  • Add stakeholders (directors, UBOs, etc.)

For more information, see Stakeholder and UBO requirements

Step 4: Upload required documents​

Document upload is required when:

  • searchId is not used
  • Registry data is incomplete
  • Additional verification is required

Use the Create a File request.

The response returns a fileId.

This fileId must be included in the onboarding request.

For additional details, see UK 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:

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
applicantDeclarationbooleanYesIndicates acceptance
applicantDeclarationTimestamptimestampYesFormat: 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 declaration

Manual KYB​

Manual KYB is required when:

  • Registry lookup fails
  • eKYB is not used
  • Additional verification is required

All required documents must be uploaded before submission.

For more information, see UK Required Documents

Individual verification (KYC)​

UK onboarding requires identity verification for:

  • Applicants
  • Individual customers
  • Directors
  • UBOs
  • Stakeholders

Step 1: Create customer​

Create the customer using Create Customer v5

After submission:

statussubstatus
PENDINGAWAITING_KYC

For status transitions, see Customer Lifecycle

Step 2: Access Pre-built KYC form​

The applicant accesses the Pre-built KYC form

Access is secured via a One-Time Password (OTP) sent to the registered email address.

Step 3: Verify identity​

Each individual must complete verification using the Pre-built KYC form:

  • Identity document submission
  • Live selfie (biometric verification)

Step 4: Stakeholder verification​

Electronic verification​

Manual verification​

  • Applicant uploads documents on behalf of stakeholders

For more information, see UK Required Documents

Step 5: Compliance review​

After KYC completion:

statussubstatus
PENDINGUNDER_REVIEW

Nium reviews the application offline.

If additional information is required:

Final decision​

Outcomestatus
Approvedclear
Rejectedrejected

Webhook notifications are sent for all transitions.

For next steps, see Customer Lifecycle

Stakeholder and UBO requirements​

Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO)​

All individuals owning more than 25% must be declared. If there are none:

  • The most senior director must be declared

  • If left blank, Nium will request this information during compliance review.

Multi-layer ownership​

If a corporate entity owns more than 25%:

  • Declare corporate stakeholders
  • Submit ownership structure documentation

For more information, see UK Required Documents

Position mapping​

Business TypeCONTROL_PERSONDIRECTORMEMBERSPARTNERREPRESENTATIVESETTLORSHAREHOLDERSIGNATORYTRUSTEEUBO
ASSOCIATIONYesYesYesYesYes
GOVERNMENT_ENTITYYesYesYesYes
LIMITED_LIABILITY_PARTNERSHIPYesYesYesYesYes
PRIVATE_COMPANYYesYesYesYesYesYes
PUBLIC_COMPANYYesYesYesYesYesYes
SOLE_TRADERYesYesYesYes
TRUSTYesYesYesYesYesYes
UNINCORP_PARTNERSHIPYesYesYesYesYes

A blank cell means the role doesn't apply.