Video-Ident, formally the Videoidentifizierungsverfahren (or Video-Identifizierungsverfahren), is a remote identity verification method. Here, a user completes a one-to-one video call with a trained agent who verifies their identity in real time. 

Video-Ident has been a cornerstone of German financial services compliance for much of the past decade. Today, EU's new Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) repositions it from default method to fallback. 

The term "Video-Ident" itself is a German one which has no direct equivalent in other EU regulatory frameworks. Although similar processes do exist in other jurisdictions, including Austria and Switzerland, the specific requirements we'll be discussing here reflect Germany's BaFin Circular 3/2017.  

How does Video-Ident work? 

The Video-Ident process: step by step 

The Video-Ident procedure follows a clear sequence of steps, each required under BaFin Circular 3/2017. Here’s how a standard session works. 

1. Giving consent 

At the start of the process, the applicant must give explicit consent to the entire identification process, including to photographs and screenshots being taken of themselves and their ID. 

2. Connection to a trained agent 

The applicant is then connected to an agent via an end-to-end encrypted video call. Each call is allocated using randomisation mechanisms in order to prevent possible manipulation. Under the current framework, a trained human agent is required for the full session; partially automated flows are proposed under a draft 2024 ordinance but are not yet in force. 

3. Document presentation and security feature checks 

During the call, the applicant holds their identity document up to the camera. The agent checks at least three security features from randomly selected categories, including holograms, microlettering, guilloche structures, and more.  

4. Document movement checks 

The applicant is asked by the agent to tilt the document horizontally and vertically so that diffractive and other optical security features can be assessed. To make sure the conversation is with a real human, the applicant is also asked to place a finger over randomly selected areas of the document and to move one hand across their face. 

5. Identity matching and questioning 

The agent checks the document’s issuing and expiry date and verifies that the caller is the same person pictured on the document. The agent may also ask the applicant to confirm their identity by inquiring about their date or place of birth. 

6. MRZ verification and serial number read-out 

The check digits in the machine-readable zone (MRZ) are calculated automatically and cross-checked against the visible information on the document, but the applicant must also read out the full document serial number during the call. 

7. TAN confirmation 

Lastly, a one-time transaction number (TAN) is generated and sent to the applicant by email or text message. The applicant returns it electronically during the call. After this step, the process is complete.  

This entire call is recorded and must be retained for a minimum of five years under section 8(3) of the German Money Laundering Act (GwG).  

Is Video-Ident still required? The regulatory shift toward eIDAS 

AMLR and the move to eID, QES, and the EUDI Wallet 

The regulatory landscape for Video-Ident in Germany has been changing rapidly over the last few years, and it’s about to undergo a massive shift. The EU's Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), which applies from 10 July 2027, will directly replace national frameworks and apply across the entire bloc.  

Under the new Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA)’s current draft technical standards, remote identity verification will follow a clear hierarchy: institutions will first be expected to use eIDAS-compliant electronic identification at assurance level "substantial" or "high", or a relevant qualified trust service, such as a qualified electronic signature (QES) or the EUDI Wallet. 

Video-Ident is still allowed under this framework, but the circumstances are different. It becomes a fallback rather than a default, to be used only where the preferred eIDAS-based route is not accessible or cannot reasonably be expected. Institutions choosing Video-Ident for a customer who could potentially use an eIDAS-compliant method would need to document that decision and justify it to authorities. 

What this means for German businesses 

The shift is significant for Germany in particular, where eIDAS-compliant alternatives such as the German eID and QES-based flows are already available, but have historically faced additional regulatory requirements that Video-Ident did not. AMLR is expected to level, and in some respects reverse, that dynamic, creating a clearer regulatory preference for automated, cryptographically secured verification. 

There is also a new compliance dimension to consider: unlike today, where customers can enter a Video-Ident flow without providing explicit consent to that choice. institutions under the AMLR framework may need to demonstrate and document why the eIDAS-preferred route was not used for a given customer  

Video-Ident vs. automated identity verification 

The regulatory shift toward eIDAS-compliant methods reflects a broader reality: the performance data on Video-Ident, compared to automated alternatives, is difficult to ignore. Video-Ident costs three to four times more than semi-automated solutions, and earns approval from only 11% of customers who rate it as user-friendly  

Meanwhile, millions of German customers were successfully onboarded through automated flows in 2024 alone, demonstrating that these methods work effectively at scale  

Video-Ident depends on trained agents who are available in real time, operating from secure premises, conducting individual sessions that must be fully recorded. It can’t be parallelised in the way automated flows can, and it is inherently subject to agent availability, session quality, and scheduling constraints. 

Automated alternatives, including chip-based eID verification and QES-based flows, shift the assurance basis from visual document inspection by a human agent to cryptographic verification of the document's chip data. This is not only faster and less expensive; it provides a fundamentally stronger identity signal. Where an eID's chip is read and authenticated, the institution gains cryptographic proof of document authenticity and integrity that a visual video check cannot replicate. 

FAQs 

How does the Video-Ident procedure work? 

Video-Ident is an identity verification process wherein a user is connected with a live, trained agent via an end-to-end encrypted video call. The agent verifies the applicant's identity document by checking its security features in real time, making sure that the person on screen matches the document photograph. The session is completed with a TAN-based confirmation.  

Is Video-Ident still legally required in Germany? 

Video-Ident has never been the only permitted remote identification method in Germany. Under current BaFin guidance, it is one of several methods that obliged entities may use. However, it became by far the most widely adopted approach in practice. From July 2027, under the EU's AMLR, eIDAS-compliant methods become the preferred standard, and Video-Ident is repositioned as a fallback, which requires documented justification where eIDAS-based alternatives were available to the customer. 

What is replacing Video-Ident under the new AML regulation? 

Under the AMLR, the preferred remote verification methods will be eIDAS-compliant electronic identification (such as the German eID), qualified electronic signatures (QES), and the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet). These methods provide cryptographic proof of identity rather than relying on visual inspection, and are treated as higher-assurance under the new regulatory hierarchy.