# 2026 updates to verification requirements in Europe To comply with financial regulations, Stripe is updating verification requirements for Europe based accounts. Stripe will reach out to request additional information. Log in to your [Stripe Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/dashboard) to view the required actions and review the resources below to learn more about the type of information you may need to provide. --- ## **FAQs** * [Why do I need to update my business information?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#why-do-i-need-to-update) * [How do I know whether I need to provide additional information?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#how-do-i-know-whether) * [What actions do I need to take?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q3) * [How do I verify business and personal information?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q4) * [Which capabilities will be impacted by these new requirements?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q5) * [Which individuals associated with the account will need to undergo verifications?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q6) * [What happens if I fail to complete the required verifications by the deadline?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q7) * [Guidelines for uploading verification documents](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q8) * [How does Stripe ensure the security and privacy of the information I provide during verification?](https://support.stripe.com/questions/2026-updates-to-verification-requirements-in-europe#q9) --- ### Why do I need to update my business information? Stripe regularly reviews and updates its verification requirements to stay current with financial regulations, reduce fraud and ensure businesses that use Stripe are compliant. For businesses based in Europe that process payments with us or use our products and services, we are updating [Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements,](https://support.stripe.com/questions/know-your-customer-obligations) which include identity verification, legal entity verification and [ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) and director](https://support.stripe.com/questions/europe-beneficial-owner-and-director-definitions) verification. These updates are in line with local regulations including the [UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)](https://www.fca.org.uk/) and [Central Bank of Ireland (CBI)](https://www.centralbank.ie/), and apply to Stripe accounts that have [card_payments](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/account-capabilities#card-payments) capability enabled across 33 countries in Europe --- ### How do I know whether I need to provide additional information? We’ll send you an email to let you know if you need to provide additional information. You’ll also see a prompt for additional information in your [Stripe Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/dashboard). --- ### What actions do I need to take? [Log in to your Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/dashboard) to see the actions you need to take, and review the resources below to learn more about the type of information you may need to provide. --- ### How do I verify business and personal information? In order to meet higher KYC standards, accounts in Europe will need to complete: * Enhanced identity verification - Some individuals associated with your account may need to provide additional information to verify their identity. Stripe will attempt to automatically verify the information you have provided. If this fails, you can choose to: * Complete a selfie verification via Stripe Identity Or * Provide updated information to Stripe, including a new optional National ID number [supported in select countries], Or * Upload two separate [documents](https://docs.stripe.com/acceptable-verification-documents?country=TH&document-type=identity#select-a-country-to-view-its-requirements): 1. One as Proof of Identity, such as a passport or a driver's license 1. One as Proof of Home Address, such as a utility bill or a bank statement * [Legal entity verification.](https://support.stripe.com/questions/legal-entity-documentation-requirement) Some accounts will need to provide additional information to verify the company name, address, and registration number. If we are unable to verify your business programmatically, Stripe may request additional Proof of Business documentation in order to verify legal entities. * Ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) and director verification. Some accounts will need to provide additional information in order for Stripe to verify the relationship between the business and its UBO(s) and/or director(s). UBO and director verifications in Europe are based on European regulatory requirements which require: * Verification of ultimate beneficial owner(s) and/or director(s) relationship to the legal entity (LE); and * Occasionally, identity verification of the ultimate beneficial owner, when additional information is required Read more about [beneficial ownership](https://support.stripe.com/questions/europe-beneficial-owner-and-director-definitions). --- ### Which capabilities will be impacted by these new requirements? These updates apply to your accounts that have [card_payments](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/account-capabilities#card-payments) capability enabled across 33 countries in Europe. --- ### Which individuals associated with the account will need to undergo verifications? Account Representatives, Ultimate Beneficiary Owners and Directors will need to undergo enhanced identity verification. Stripe will attempt to programmatically verify the information that was provided during onboarding. If this fails, individuals on connected accounts can choose to: * Complete a selfie verification via Stripe Identity Or * Provide updated information to Stripe, including a new optional National ID number [supported in select countries], Or * Upload 2 separate documents: * One as Proof of Identity such as a passport or a driver's license * One as Proof of Home Address such as a utility bill or a bank statement View the [list of acceptable documents for each country](https://docs.stripe.com/acceptable-verification-documents?country=TH&document-type=identity#select-a-country-to-view-its-requirements). --- ### What happens if I fail to complete the required verifications by the deadline? Your account's ability to perform payouts may be temporarily paused if the required information isn't provided by the due date. You may also experience further capability restrictions. --- ### Guidelines for uploading verification documents In cases where Stripe was unable to verify the information programmatically, we may ask for additional documents to complete the verification. To ensure a smooth and efficient document verification process, consider these guidelines to prevent any delays or complications: * The format must be no more than one step removed from the original document: * Document copies and scans must be in PDF format and taken directly from the original document; they can’t be processed, converted, or embedded in other files. * A picture of a physical document must be the original, unprocessed picture in JPEG or PNG format. * Screenshots of physical IDs are not acceptable. * Photos and scans of Photo IDs must be in color. * Photos of paper documents must be in color, but scans of paper documents (not Photo IDs) may be black and white. * Identity and legal entity documents must not be expired. * Documents must be readable and in a valid upload file format (PDF, JPEG, or PNG). * Documents must not be cropped or missing pages with crucial information, and all borders must be visible. --- ### How does Stripe ensure the security and privacy of the information I provide during verification? Stripe stores verification data securely using access controls and security standards that are at least as stringent as those for handling our own payment compliance and KYC data. We use TLS encrypted connections for data transfer and AES-256 encryption for data at rest. Visit the [Stripe Privacy Center](https://stripe.com/privacy-center/legal#data-transfers) to learn more.