Identity documents establish who is applying. They do not establish income, affordability or loan approval. Before sending documents, confirm which lender or broker is requesting them, what it requires and which secure channel you should use.
AUSTRAC's initial customer due diligence guidance explains the need to establish customer identity and verify relevant information using reliable, independent data appropriate to risk. It does not mean every loan applicant follows one universal document or points checklist.
Ask for the actual checklist
Record the requesting business, proposed product, accepted document types, whether electronic verification is offered and any requirements for copies or originals. Ask what to do if you do not hold a document on the standard list.
Do not substitute an internet checklist for the lender's process. A photograph of a card, a certified copy and an electronic verification result are different things. A document being uploaded also does not prove the lender has verified or accepted it.
Check consistency before uploading
Our preparation checklist compares the name, date of birth, address and document validity details the lender requests. Check that the application uses the correct legal name and explain a previous name or recently changed address.
If details differ, ask how the lender wants the discrepancy supported. A name change record or address update may be relevant, but the lender must tell you what is acceptable. Do not edit a document image or submit a misleading application to make the fields appear consistent.
Keep a private list of what you supplied and when, using masked identifiers where practical. You do not need to copy full identification numbers into every email or personal worksheet.
Separate identity from the other application evidence
A person can pass an identity check and still need to supply income, bank statements or other application information. Our income reconciliation guide addresses those documents separately.
For a company or trust application, ask who else must be identified and what authority is required. AUSTRAC's guidance discusses persons acting for a customer and beneficial owners where relevant. Do not assume the person entering the online form is the only person the provider needs to verify.
Verify the destination before sending sensitive records
Use contact details obtained independently from the business's genuine website or an established verified conversation. If an unexpected message requests identity documents or a new upload link, confirm it through that known channel.
Our lender and broker checking guide helps with the business-identity question. Avoid placing unredacted documents in public chats or sending them to an address you have not verified.
Keep the verification stage clear
Ask for confirmation of what remains outstanding and supply only the requested information through the agreed channel. The useful result is a consistent application record and a clear status: requested, supplied, under review or verified. None of those labels should be described as a loan approval unless the lender has actually issued one.
