GovID & Selfie Match
Checker Category: Identity — GovID + Biometric
Used In Steps: Government ID and Selfie Match
Used In Workflows: Identity Verification, NIST IAL2
Supported Countries: 180+ countries; 5,000+ document types (passport, driver's license, ID card)
Overview
Document + Selfie Match checkers authenticate a government-issued ID document and compare it biometrically to a live selfie. The document is checked for tampering and authenticity (not just read) — and the selfie undergoes liveness detection before the biometric comparison runs.
Two variants are available: Standard (one document + selfie) and Dual Document (two documents + selfie). Both use Incode's hosted capture session — not fully API-only.
End User Requirements
Government-issued photo ID. Mobile device with camera. Adequate lighting for document capture and selfie.
Role in Layered Verification
Strongest identity checker — combines document authenticity with biometric liveness. Typically used as step-up from phone-based methods (Identity Verification) or as primary method for high-assurance flows (NIST IAL2). Requires async capture session delivery (SMS link, QR code, or direct link).
Variants
What It Provides: One government ID document authenticated and compared to a live selfie. Passport, driver's license, or ID card supported. Checks document authenticity, liveness, and biometric face match.
Level of Assurance: High
Acquired Attributes
| Attribute | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Document Type | DocumentType | Passport, driver's license, ID card |
| Gender | AcquiredGender | Gender from document |
| Full Name | FullName | Name from document (first, middle, last, suffix) |
| DOB | DOB | Date of birth from document |
| Driver's License Number | DriversLicenseNumber | DL number if applicable |
| Driver's License State | DriversLicenseState | Issuing state if applicable |
| Driver's License Issue Date | DriversLicenseIssueDate | Issue date if applicable |
| Driver's License Expiration Date | DriversLicenseExpirationDate | Expiration date if applicable |
| Street Address | AcquiredAddress | Address from document |
| Passport Issue Date | AcquiredPassportIssueDate | Issue date if passport |
| Passport Expiration Date | AcquiredPassportExpirationDate | Expiration date if passport |
| Passport Number | AcquiredPassportNumber | Passport number if applicable |
| Nationality | AcquiredNationality | Nationality from document |
| Gov ID Country | GovIDCountry | Country of issue |
Assertions
| Assertion | Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Provided DOB Matches DOB on Submitted Government ID | link.dob_document | Compares the provided date of birth to the date of birth on the submitted government ID. Passes if they match; fails if they do not. |
| Provided Nationality Matches Nationality on Submitted Government ID | link.nationality_document | Compares the provided nationality to the nationality on the submitted government ID. Passes if they match; fails if they do not. |
| Selfie Tampering Check | test.digitalAttack | Indicates whether a digital modification or manipulation has been applied to the selfie image. Passes if no manipulation is detected; fails if digital manipulation is identified. |
| Government ID Alignment Check | test.documentAlignmentCheck | Confirms that the submitted document image is properly aligned. Passes if alignment meets requirements; fails if it does not. |
| Back of Submitted Government ID Acceptable Lighting Check | test.documentBalancedLightBackCheck | Confirms that the back of the submitted government ID has acceptable lighting for clear capture. Passes if lighting is adequate; fails if it is not. |
| Front of Submitted Government ID Acceptable Lighting Check | test.documentBalancedLightFrontCheck | Confirms that the front of the submitted government ID has acceptable lighting for clear capture. Passes if lighting is adequate; fails if it is not. |
| Back of Government ID Image Sharpness Check | test.documentSharpnessBackCheck | Confirms that the back of the government ID image meets sharpness requirements. Passes if sharpness is sufficient; fails if the image is too blurry. |
| Front of Government ID Image Sharpness Check | test.documentSharpnessFrontCheck | Confirms that the front of the government ID image meets sharpness requirements. Passes if sharpness is sufficient; fails if the image is too blurry. |
| Government ID Type and Side Consistency Check | test.documentTypeSideCrosscheck | Confirms that the identified type and side of the captured government ID are consistent with each other. Passes if the type and captured side match expected values; fails if a mismatch is detected |
| RealID Document Check | test.document_isRealID | Confirms that the submitted document is a RealID-compliant identification. Passes if it is RealID-compliant; fails if it is not. |
| Selfie Facial Evasion Check | test.evasionAttack | Indicates whether the person is attempting to evade facial recognition by making unusual expressions or blocking facial features. Passes if no evasion is detected; fails if evasion behavior is identified. |
| Front of Government ID Physcial Presence Check | test.frontPaperOrScreen | Confirms that the front of the government ID was captured directly from a physical document, not from a screen display. Passes if physical presence is detected; fails if screen capture is detected. |
| Front of Government ID Tampering Check | test.frontTampered | Indicates whether the front of the submitted government ID shows signs of tampering. Passes if no tampering is detected; fails if tampering is identified. |
| Submitted Government ID Database Validation Check | test.governmentValidation | Confirms that the submitted document has been validated against government database records. Passes if validation succeeds; fails if the document cannot be confirmed. |
| Back of Document Post-it Check | test.postitCheckBack | Indicates whether a sticky note or post-it is obscuring the back of the document. Passes if no obstruction is detected; fails if one is identified. |
| Front of Document Post-it Check | test.postitCheckFront | Indicates whether a sticky note or post-it is obscuring the front of the document. Passes if no obstruction is detected; fails if one is identified. |
| Selfie Brightness Check | test.selfieBrightnessCheck | Confirms that the selfie image meets brightness requirements for accurate processing. Passes if brightness is within the acceptable range; fails if it is not. |
| Selfie Tinted Lenses Check | test.selfieLensesCheck | Indicates whether the person in the selfie is wearing tinted lenses that may affect facial recognition. Passes if no tinted lenses are detected; fails if they are identified. |
| Selfie Mask Check | test.selfieMaskCheck | Indicates whether the person in the selfie is wearing a mask. Passes if no mask is detected; fails if one is identified. |
Notes
Requires hosted UI (Incode) — not fully API-only. Deliver via SMS link, QR code, or direct link.
asyncUIRedirect parameter required — must be configured before go-live.
Image quality is the most common cause of false denials — retry under better lighting usually resolves.
Testing & Expected Results
Testing follows Government ID and Selfie Match step procedures for both variants. See Government ID and Selfie Match for test credentials and step-by-step instructions.
| Scenario | Input | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Approve | Andrew Roshell + Passport | approve |
| Deny | Andrew Roshell + Driver's License | deny |
| Real verification | Any name + ID Card | Actual document + selfie required |
For Dual Document: select Passport for both captures to approve; Driver's License for either to deny.
Related Resources
→ Government ID and Selfie Match | → Identity Verification | → NIST IAL2
Updated 2 days ago