How do I take a selfie that ensures successful ID verification?

Whether you're taking a selfie to get the “Verified ID” badge or confirming your identity when prompted, you want this process to go smoothly. One of the most crucial success factors is the quality of your selfie. So, we've prepared a few tips to help you take a perfect one:

Adjust your face to fit within the frame 

It’s quite easy to do with your smartphone: turn on the frontal camera and place the phone right in front of your face so that it’s fully and clearly visible. If any part of your head is cropped, the selfie won’t be good enough for successful verification. 

Make your face perfectly visible

Sunglasses, hats, masks, scarves – those are the things that hide some parts of your face in one way or another. Remove them before taking a selfie so that your face is perfectly visible. If your hair even partially covers your face, this may also be a reason for unsuccessful verification, so ensure to fix it.

Use simple background

A selfie must only show your face, so no other objects should be visible in the frame. Choose a plain background, such as a white wall. It helps make your face clearer and simplifies the verification process.

Ensure quality lighting

No matter what kind of camera you have, it’ll make a good picture if the lighting is right. Of course, natural lighting is best. You don’t want to have unnecessary shadows on your face, so if you notice them, try to change the angle. If you choose to use a light from a lamp, ensure it’s right in front of you. Be careful so that there’s no glare on your selfie. Anything that makes your face less visible creates a huge risk of unsuccessful verification. 

That’s all! If you follow these tips, the quality of your selfie won't jeopardise the success of your verification.