Skip to main content

Manage user identification

This guide helps partner support teams support their users through identification: sharing identification links, tracking statuses, resolving common failures, and knowing when to contact Swan.

For user-facing guidance on how identification works, share Identification process overview with your users.

For identification levels, processes, statuses, and reason codes, see Identifications.

Key takeaways
  • Your users can identify themselves at any time, 24 hours a day.
  • Identification sessions expire. Time limits depend on the process — see identification statuses.
  • The identification text message (SMS) link works once. Once your user closes the waiting page, they can't request a new one.
  • Only the user can complete identification. You can't complete or cancel one on their behalf.
  • An Invalid identification carries a reason code. Some codes mean your user should retry; others mean they shouldn't, and you contact Swan Support instead.

About identification​

Identification is how Swan confirms a user is who they say they are. Your users need to complete it at three points:

Your users can complete identification at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They need to log in to Swan first.

Swan supports three identification processes: Expert, PVID, and QES. Expert and QES both include a manual review, so these take longer than PVID. When you use the Auto option, Swan picks the right process for each user automatically. Accepted processes vary by country and account type — see levels and processes.

Not every user needs identification

Users with non-sensitive access to an account may not need to identify themselves in some B2B situations. This depends on their account membership permissions.

Integration

Ask your development team to:

  • Surface identification status and Invalid reason codes inside your own product using Swan's Identifications API, so you can see why an identification failed without opening the Dashboard.
  • Send authentication links to users who haven't identified themselves, by adding the identificationLevel parameter to the scope. See the guide to get a user access token.
  • Test status and reason code combinations with the Event Simulator in Dashboard > Developers > Event Simulator > Sandbox identifications.

Help a user who can't complete identification​

Swan sends your user an SMS with an identification link. If your user is stuck, check where they are in the flow before you send anything new.

The SMS link works once

Your user can request a new SMS with Retry or the QR code on the waiting page. Once they close that page, they can't request a new one. If they've closed it, send them a direct identification link.

To help a user who can't get back into the flow:

  1. Share a direct identification link with them. See Swan Academy.
  2. Tell your user they need to log in before they can identify themselves.
  3. Tell your user to finish in one sitting, because the session expires. For the time limit that applies to their process, see identification statuses.

Understand identification attempts​

If identification is set to Auto, Swan automatically routes your users through the recommended identification flow. If your user can't complete the initial identification method after several failed or incomplete attempts, Swan may fall back to QES.

The next attempt can look different from the first, so tell your user to expect that.

Only the user can complete identification

You, a third party, and Swan can't complete identification on a user's behalf, and you can't cancel one for them either. If your user can't complete identification because of a physical or technical constraint, raise a support request in your Dashboard.

Track a user's identification​

  1. Go to Dashboard > Data > Users.
  2. Open the relevant user profile.
  3. Review the identification status and history.

See Swan Academy for a walkthrough video.

What to do for each status​

For what each status means, see identification statuses.

StatusWhat you do
StartedRemind your user to complete identification. It expires automatically if they don't finish in time.
PendingWait for the review to finish. Expert and QES include a manual review, so these take longer than PVID. Don't contact Swan Support unless the status has been Pending for more than one business day.
ValidNothing. Account holder verification starts next.
InvalidCheck the reason code, then see Handle an Invalid identification.
ExpiredSend a new identification link and tell your user to finish in one sitting.
CanceledAsk your user to start again. You can't restart an identification for them.
Two different Pending statuses

Pending on an identification means a review is in progress. Account holder verification has its own Pending status, which means Swan is reviewing the account holder's information. Check which object you're looking at in the Dashboard before you act.

Fix common identification issues​

Handle an Invalid identification​

Every Invalid identification carries a reason code. Check it in Dashboard > Data > Users. For what each code means, see invalid reason codes.

Some reason codes mean your user should try again with a better capture or a different document. Others, including data mismatches like NonMatchingIdentity and InvalidOrMissingData, can't be fixed by retrying, and you can't correct the details yourself. See invalid reason codes to identify which you're looking at, then contact Swan Support if a retry won't help.

For the user-facing explanation of rejection messages, share Identification rejection reasons and solutions with your user.

Share these capture tips​

When a retry is the right answer, tell your user to:

  • Use Chrome on mobile if possible.
  • Use a strong 4G/5G or stable Wi-Fi connection.
  • Complete the process in one go, without switching browsers or apps.
  • Stay in the same browser from start to finish.
  • Hold the document in your hand, in good natural light.
  • Keep your fingers off the document text and photo.
  • Capture the document in full color, front and back.

Help a user whose phone isn't compatible​

If your user's phone isn't compatible with the identification flow:

  1. Ask your user to try another compatible device.
  2. If that isn't possible, raise a Swan Support request in your Dashboard. Include the user ID, the identification processes attempted, and a description of what happened.

Help a user who is overseas​

If your user is overseas and can't complete identification from their current location:

  1. Ask your user to connect with a VPN set to their home country, then try again.
  2. If the problem continues, raise a support request in your Dashboard with the user ID and your user's current location.

If an identification link went to the wrong user, raise a support request in your Dashboard with the correct user ID. Don't forward or share identification links between users.

Change the identification process​

Changing the identification process in your product needs Swan's approval. See recommendations for the processes accepted in each country.

Contact Swan Support​

Submit a Swan Support request if:

  • An identification is Invalid with a data-mismatch reason code, such as NonMatchingIdentity or InvalidOrMissingData.
  • An identification is Invalid with FraudDetected, SanctionListHit, NegativeNewsHit, or InvoluntaryIdentification.
  • You're unsure how to handle a reason code.
  • Your user's phone isn't compatible and they have no other device.
  • Your user can't complete identification from their current location, even with a VPN.
  • An identification link went to the wrong user.
  • You want to change the identification process in your product.

Include in your request:

  • Account ID and user ID
  • Identification process used
  • Current status, and the reason code if the status is Invalid
  • Steps already taken

Share these articles with your users​

Share these Support Center articles with users who have questions about identification:

Help center content

You can also use these articles as a starting point for your own help center content, tailored to your product's terminology and your users' context.