Biometric identity verification for South Africa
Compare a customer selfie with a trusted reference through Face Match, then add Passive Liveness when your risk rules also require a live-presence signal. Each check returns its own result.
What is biometric verification?
Biometric verification uses physical characteristics such as facial features as a comparison signal. Face Match assesses whether two images appear to show the same person; it does not validate the source document or prove live presence on its own.
Accountable institutions choose identity-verification measures according to their money-laundering and terrorist-financing risk and document those controls in their RMCP. FICA does not prescribe Face Match or liveness as a named method.
VerifyNow Face Match compares a selfie with a Home Affairs photo or another reference image and returns a decision, score and warnings. Passive Liveness is a separate check that assesses whether one face photo appears to show a live, present person.
Why Biometrics for FICA/KYC?
- Adds evidence that a selfie and reference image show the same person
- Helps detect mismatches and impersonation attempts
- Enables fully remote customer onboarding
- Creates an auditable verification trail
- Can support risk-based controls documented in an RMCP
- Reduces manual review costs and processing time
Biometric verification services
Choose the right level of biometric verification for your compliance needs
Face Match (Home Affairs)
Compare a user selfie against the official Home Affairs ID photo on record as a higher-assurance reference option for biometric KYC.
- Match against government ID photo
- Real-time verification
- Confidence score (0-100)
- Age & gender detection
Best for:
High-security KYC, banking, financial services
Face Match (Standard)
Compare a user selfie against any reference photo you provide, such as an ID document scan, employee badge, or passport photo.
- Match against any reference image
- Cost-effective verification
- Confidence score (0-100)
- Age & gender detection
Best for:
Employee verification, access control, general identity checks
Face Match + ID Verification
Combined face matching with Home Affairs ID number verification. Confirm the selfie matches the ID photo and the ID number is valid — in one step.
- Face match + ID verification
- Personal details (Name, DOB, Gender)
- Citizenship & death status check
- Both checks complete in a single run
Best for:
Complete identity verification, onboarding flows
For the side-by-side match card, confidence score breakdown, and live sample report:
See a sample face match result →What your team sees back on a biometric check
The same sample report that runs in your dashboard before you've even signed up.
Loading sample report
How biometric verification works
A simple, secure process from selfie capture to verified identity
Capture Selfie
The user takes a selfie using their device camera during your onboarding flow.
Submit for Verification
Upload the selfie along with an ID number or reference image in the VerifyNow dashboard.
AI Analysis
The service compares facial features against the selected reference. Passive Liveness adds a separate live-presence signal.
Get Verified Result
Receive a match/no-match result with confidence score, demographics, and fraud warnings.
Industry applications
Biometric verification for every regulated industry in South Africa
Banking & Financial Services
Use Face Match and, where risk requires it, Passive Liveness as controls inside a documented FICA onboarding workflow.
Insurance
Add a face-match signal to policyholder identity reviews for claims and applications.
Telecoms
Support subscriber identity review during a documented RICA onboarding process.
Real Estate
Verify buyer, seller, and tenant identities during property transactions to satisfy FICA obligations for estate agents.
HR & Employee Verification
Confirm candidate identities during hiring, verify employees for access control, and maintain auditable identity records.
Government & Public Sector
Deliver secure digital services with biometric verification that ties citizens to their official Home Affairs records.
Why choose VerifyNow for biometrics
Enterprise-grade biometric technology built for the South African market
POPIA-aware controls
Biometric processing still requires a valid legal basis or exception, purpose limitation, security safeguards and an appropriate retention policy.
Real-Time Results
Review the returned status and confidence score when the biometric check completes.
Separate Passive Liveness
Use Passive Liveness for a live-presence signal. Face Match remains a separate comparison between the submitted face and a reference image.
Home Affairs Integration
The selected Home Affairs photo workflow uses the official record photo as the reference image.
Pay-Per-Use Pricing
Credit-based pricing with no monthly fees. Only pay for the verifications you actually perform.
Scalable for Any Volume
From startups running 10 verifications a month to enterprises running thousands daily — the platform scales with you.
Simple credit-based pricing
Pay only for what you use. No monthly fees or commitments.
See the latest cost for each biometric verification option.
View current pricingReady to add biometric verification?
Use Face Match and Passive Liveness as separate verification signals