Verification & documents — deep dive

A director must be at least 16 years old. Minors below this age are not accepted. Shareholders may be subject to different considerations in some structures, but executive management requires a director who meets the age requirement. If the project is for a family, appoint an adult director who meets the conditions.

It depends on the verification route, your nationality, the ACSP requirements and the approved identity systems. A valid passport is the most widely accepted globally for non-residents. Some nationalities may be accepted with a national ID within limits.

The safest approach: prepare a passport with a clear photo + recent proof of address. If a passport is not possible, contact us before applying to review the options.

Usually a utility bill, a bank statement, or an official letter showing your name, address and a recent date (usually within 3 months). It must match your actual country of residence — not the company's London address. Unclear images or documents without a full address cause delays.

Upload high-quality files the first time to speed up the ACSP.

Try again with good lighting, no sunglasses, your full face within the frame, and a stable connection. Make sure your passport photo matches your current face. If it keeps failing, try another device or contact support for alternative guidance within the provider's procedures.

Do not use edited photos or feature-changing apps — that rejects the application and may flag the account as a risk.

You can legally appoint any qualified person as a director, but if you remain the real controller you must disclose that as a PSC. Appointing a relative 'nominally' while hiding your control exposes you to compliance and banking risks. It is better to be the real director with a service address protecting your privacy.

Transparency makes Stripe and banks easier in the long run.