The requirement for identity checks is in line with the Government s policy on combating fraud.

Transcription

1 Identity Document Checking The requirement for identity checks is in line with the Government s policy on combating fraud. The acceptance of authenticated photocopies of documents was adopted initially. However, it was quickly recognised that there were problems associated with the provision of photocopies, not least the possibility of manipulation by new technology (e.g. scanners). On review, from the 1 April 1999 Ministers across Government decided that original documentation is required. Why have identity checks for existing licence holders? To exclude those drivers who have already held paper licences for many years, for which no checks were carried out, would have conflicted with the above policy. Once a driver has provided proof of identity, there will not normally be a requirement to provide it again What Can We Expect To Receive? The preferred documentation as proof of an applicant s identity is a passport. However, we can expect to receive a range of different identity documents, some of which will be acceptable, some of which will not. Translation of Identity documents Should an identity document be required in support of an application for a driving licence that is not in English then the applicant will need to supply a translation issued in the UK and signed by an official translator. The DVLA will accept a translation arranged from an embassy, consulate, language library, university or translation centre. Not in possession of a Birth Certificate and possibly not registered A person who is not in possession of a birth certificate and possibly not even registered should be advised to contact: - General Register Office, PO Box 2, Southport PR8 2JD

2 Acceptable Identity Documents The following Identity Documents are acceptable in their own right: a passport or travel document a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), or an EU/EEA National Identity Card (with the exception of ID cards issued by the Swedish Post Office). Acceptable National ID Cards: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden* and Switzerland. *Swedish ID cards issued by the Swedish Post Office are not acceptable. Expired British and EC/ EEA Passports & Identity Cards So long as they have not expired more than 5 years previously and that the photograph matches that on the application form we would advise the customer to send it to DVLA for consideration. UK-Birth Certificates (Including Northern Ireland) you must also send one of the following documents: Your National Insurance (NI) card or a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions showing your NI number. A photocopy of the front page of a benefits book or an original letter about a claim for state benefit. A P45, P60 or payslip. A marriage certificate or divorce papers (decree nisi or decree absolute). A student union card or school record. Note The National Insurance Number cannot be a temporary number (usually starting with TN) Non-UK Birth Certificates (Including Southern Ireland) These MUST be rejected for a passport.

3 State Retirement Pension (SRP) DSS State Retirement Pension order book Proof of receipt of State Retirement Pension (Bank or Building Society statement) within 3 months Proof of eligibility of Retirement Pension (BR Letters). Winter fuel payment letter In the majority of cases, only current licence holders in receipt of Application for renewal of a driving licence form D46 will be aware of the facility, as these are the targeted customers. However, the above should also be extended to current licence holders in receipt of, or eligible for, State Retirement Pension (woman from 60 years of age and 65 for men) who apply for a photocard for reasons other than renewal. DSS State Retirement Pension Order Book form Check that the order book has not been tampered with Check that the name on the pension order book is the same as the name on the application When presented with a Retirement Pension Book, the National Insurance number is shown in the top left side of the book cover (this is sometimes referred to as the customer s reference number). Note: If a customer has sent a pension book in, it must be returned via special delivery and the details of the customer must be recorded on team. Proof Of Receipt Of State Retirement Pension: (Bank Or Building Society Statement) When presented with a Bank or Building Society statement as proof of receipt of State Retirement Pension, the customer s National Insurance number and detail of payment will be shown. Check that the name and address on the statement is the same as the name and address on the application form Check that the statement shows details of the credit to the account, this will include the applicants National Insurance Number E.g. YS D followed by DSSRP. The Bank statement must be recent (within 3 months). Proof Of Eligibility To State Retirement Pension BR Letters Check that the name and address on the BR letter is the same as that on the application form. The National Insurance Number is shown in the box on the top right hand side marked If you get in touch with us, tell us this in the reference number.

4 Please note: The relevant sections on both the BR2102 and BR2103 are identical except for the reference number. All applications supported by BR735 check that the benefit being paid is Retirement Pension. This form is multi-use and may contain e.g. Widows Pension or War Pension, which are payable before state retirement age and would then be unacceptable for ID purposes. Travel Documents Issued By The Home Office If issued by the UK Home Office to people without nationality who have been given leave to stay in Britain these applications do not need to be authenticated. If issued by any other country the D1 must be authenticated. Non-UK Passports To be referred to Driving Licence Input and Exchange (non GB) Teams We can now accept expired NON-UK PASSPORTS with Home Office visa stamp or sticker with an amended LEAVE TO REMAIN shown. However, the date shown on any of these documents must be valid within the time shown. E.g. if the document shows LEAVE TO ENTER FOR 6 MONTHS and the date stamp shows 1 st January 2002, the application for a driving licence would only be valid if it is made within 6 months from 1 st January This information can be seen on the visa or any page of a Passport so clerks will need to look through the passport. Acceptable Additional Documents The purpose of the following documents is to provide a trail from the applicant s identity at the time of birth to the applicant s identity at the time of the application. They are not acceptable on their own. Marriage Certificate Only acceptable in addition to other documentation when we need to establish a link from birth. Decree Absolute Or Decree Nisi Papers Ideally, in cases where an applicant has divorced and re-married, we would prefer to have papers relating to both or all marriages.

5 But in practice, this is not always possible; for example, some authorities retain old Marriage Certificates after Divorce Papers are issued, these documents can be accepted even though there is not always a direct link between the names. Statutory Declaration A Statutory Declaration is considered as having a more formal legal footing than a deed poll. It provides detail of the former name and the intended name. It must be signed (in the new name) by the person changing their name and sworn before a solicitor, commissioner for oaths or an authorised officer of the court. Change of Name Deed (usually referred to as a Deed Poll) A Deed Poll is a document that provides the former name and the new name to be used. The document must carry the signature (in the name) of the person changing their name and that of the witness, who must not be a relative. Where the person changing names is under 18 years of age, consent must be obtained by those person/s having parental responsibility. Where parental consent cannot be obtained then permission can normally be obtained via a Court. A person aged 16 or 17 must also give their consent when their name is being changed. Letter From Senior Member Of The Family Applicants under the age of 18 who have a different surname to that shown on their identity must submit a letter from an adult with parental/guardian responsibility confirming the new surname. An example of this is where a woman with a young child has changed her own surname through marriage, remarriage or divorce and brought her child up using her new surname without formally changing the child s surname. Scottish Marriage Certificates Most Scottish Marriage Certificates also contain all the information found on their Birth Certificates. Even so these are not acceptable without further documentation. Forces Papers And Army Records All cases must be sent to the Vocational Team to be dealt with. School Records With A Sworn Affidavit And A Letter Of Confirmation

6 Where these are the only documents that the applicant has at their disposal, they must be sent to a specialist area for consideration and to establish whether we have sufficient evidence of the applicant s identity. Certificate Of Blessing Certificates of Blessing are only acceptable in addition to other documentation when we need to establish a link from birth. Birth Certificates A Birth Certificate is a Certificate issued from Birth Registers in England and Wales, which states the registration district and sub-district in which the individual was born. New style Birth Certificates have been produced in England and Wales since Full Birth Certificate Can take several forms. These contain details of the child, mother and father. Until 1969, these displayed the details from left to right. A form of Full Certificate of Birth introduced in 1969 contains the details running from top to bottom. New designs for Birth and Marriage Certificates were introduced in 1986, which incorporated a revised background pattern. The printing of all certificates on A4 paper was introduced in Short Birth Certificate These contain much less information than the Full Certificates. Generally, they only show the name and surname, sex date, and place of birth of the child. Extract Of An Entry In A Register Of Births This is essentially another name for Scottish Birth Certificate. These contain much the same information as the Birth Certificate, the difference being that the details are taken and reproduced from centralised records held on a microfiche. Unlike England and Wales Certificates, these contain details of the time of birth. On some Scottish Marriage Certificates, all the details present on the Birth Certificate are replicated. Certificate Of Registry Of Birth

7 Similar to a Birth Certificate, it certifies that the legal requirement for a registration of birth has been fulfilled, and is found mostly among older applicants. Most are acceptable; however, some such Certificates do not state the name of the child and are therefore not acceptable. In such instances, one would request their Birth Certificate. Adoption Certificate Similar to a birth Certificate except that it states that it is a certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register and maintained at the General Register Office. One would not normally hold both a Birth Certificate AND Adoption Certificate. Certificate Of Baptism These are acceptable as a form of Birth Certificate and are mainly from Southern Ireland and India refer to central support DGFW British Certificates of Baptism are not acceptable, because the person should also be in possession of a Birth Certificate, in such cases we would expect them to send us the Birth Certificate. Non UK Birth Certificate These are no longer acceptable as sole proof of identity, if an application is received it must be rejected for a passport before referring to Central support DGFW. In cases where the applicant does not have a passport then the application and identification must be referred to Casework for further investigation in order to do a picture build. New Style Birth Certificates From January 1999, new style Birth Certificates were gradually introduced; they became available nation-wide from December The information contained on the Birth Certificate, including the format, remained the same. However, the Certificate itself is quite different to the old-style Certificates. There is a subtle change in the wording from This Certificate is not evidence of Identity of the person presenting it, to A Certificate is not evidence of Identity. This is because when the blank Certificates are issued, the Registrar can use them as both Birth and Death Certificates. Change of Name Deed & Statutory Declaration Checking Procedures When a Change of Name Deed or Deed Poll is received, and is being used as identification to accompany a change of name, you should edit and code the application form and pass the document and all other correspondence received to your AO for checking.

8 Applications That Can Be Dealt With And Processed On Team Any first name changes with supporting ID(Original birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, CPN, deed poll/statutory declaration or divorce certificate). There must be a Link to the name on the licence and the change of name document. First photocard licence with a change of name from a paper licence with supporting ID.(Original birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, CPN, deed poll/statutory declaration or divorce certificate) First applications (FAP) where the application differs from their birth name. Please ensure the applicant has enclosed their original birth certificate or certified copy and original documents to show their new name (CPN,passport, Deed Poll/Statutory declaration or divorce certificate) First applications (FAP) where the applicant is under the age of 18, their name differs to that on their birth certificate and no deed poll or statutory declaration is enclosed. A letter from their parents can be accepted in replace of an official document. A change of name due to marriage,divorce or reverting back to a maiden name with an original marriage certificate,divorce certificate birth certificate or deed poll Change of gender applications are dealt in the same way as any other change of name applications. These applications can be dealt with on all input teams. Applications That Should Be Rejected By the Input Team If the Deed Poll/Statutory declaration is not an original or certified copy. If the Deed Poll/Statutory declaration has not been signed, dated or witnessed. Input Team AO Deed Poll & Statutory Declaration Procedures The ways in which you do this are: Check if the Deed Poll/Statutory Declaration is an original or certified copy Check the name details on the Deed Poll /Statutory Declaration and ensure the document has been signed, dated and witnessed. A Deed Poll can be witnessed by anybody of standing

9 A Statutoty Declaration must be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (JP), Commissioner of Oaths or a Solicitor Check the record in Drivers 90 to see if they have had a previous name change Check the record in Drivers 90 to see if the original First Application was issued by cassette range 117 (The Post Office Team) Check if the application is a Duplicate (No Licence Enclosed) and the driver is changing their Name and Address Check the Document trail for excessive activity or little history Check the image on record if they are changing their photograph CHANGE OF NAME AND CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS The Civil Partnership Act came into force on 5 th December The Act ensures that under United Kingdom statutory law, same-sex couples who register their relationship under the Act should be treated in an almost identical way to married couples. A Civil Partnership certificate will record the names of the couple as they enter into the civil partnership and is acceptable as evidence for a change of surname. This documentation should be treated in the same way as a marriage certificate. Clerks should endorse the application form with CPC when a Civil Partnership certificate is received. The Act also means that the dissolution of a registered relationship following its breakdown is dealt with in an almost identical way as a divorce. In circumstances where a civil partnership has been dissolved, the dissolution order should be treated in line with a Decree Nisi/Absolute.

10 Unacceptable Identity Documents Some Identity Documents will only be acceptable under extremely unusual circumstances, and then only as a supplement to Documents that have previously been received and are being investigated. In the normal course of events the following documents must not be accepted as proof of Identity: CANCELLED FULL PASSPORT UK/EC/EU PASSPORT EXPIRED EXPIRED PASSPORT FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY STANDARD ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER (SAL FORM) Application Registration Card (ARC) BRITISH VISITOR S PASSPORT These were subject to far less security checks than full Passports, and so have never been acceptable as an Identity Document for our purposes. The last of these expired on 31 st December UKPA ID CARDS FOR USE WITH COLLECTIVE PASSPORTS Collective Passports are issued to the person who is responsible for travelling parties, normally on a shortterm (e.g. parties of school children on holiday). Where the country s immigration authorities demand an Identity Document in addition to this Passport, UKPA will also issue ID Cards. However, no Birth Certificate or equivalent Document is required by UKPA to issue such a Card, so they are not valid as Identity Documents for our purposes. BILLS, STATEMENTS AND CREDIT CARDS CERTIFICATION OF REGISTRATION Must be rejected for a passport as these certificates are only issued on sight of a valid passport. OTHER CARDS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND PERSONAL DETAILS (E.G. CLUB MEMBERSHIP CARDS) DRIVING LICENCE Driving Licences are not Identity Documents, not even when the Licence in question is a Photocard Licence that has been issued to someone who has been on our records for years. BENEFIT DOCUMENTS (UB40, ETC) OFFICIAL LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE APPLICANT

11 APPOINTMENT CARDS SHOTGUN LICENCE OTHER Some applicants will send various other items as proof of their identity, which may not be covered in this list. In these cases you must check the list of Acceptable Identity Documents and reject back to the applicant as necessary. Identity and Passport Service (IPS) The DVLA has a direct link to the Identity and Passport ('IPS') Database via a Government Secure Internet (GSI) Link. This enables the agency to verify the applicant s identity without them having to submit their passport. The benefits of using the 'IPS' service are: It reduces fraud Reduces the risk of losing Passports in the mail Provides Good Customer Service How To Check An IPS Application Once an application has been received, ensure in the section Your proof of identity that the nine-digit passport number has been entered and the section has been signed by the applicant giving consent to access the IPS Database. If the section Your proof of identity has not been completed the application will have to be returned to the applicant requesting: A signature on the application form giving consent to access the IPS database. The Passport to be submitted for physical examination If consent has been given, proceed by inputting CPN (Check Passport Number) in the Command field and press Enter. The 9 digit Passport number shown on the application form is to be input in the Enter passport number to be checked field Press Enter. The IPS Database will then search for a match and a screen will appear with the applicant s personal details and image:

12 The details and image MUST be checked against the accompanying application form to ensure they correspond: Forenames If the forenames on the application form differ to those on the IPS link, the details from the IPS link must be given. E.g. If only one forename is shown on the IPS link, but two forenames have been stated on the application form, we MUST use the details shown on screen and endorse the application form accordingly Surname If the Surname on the application form differs to that on the IPS link, identification will be required to show the change of name. If the relevant identification has not been submitted, endorse the application form, (under the Official use only box) with the surname shown on the IPS link and the date of birth. Reject the application for the appropriate identification (e.g. Marriage certificate or Deed Poll), via D90 on screen reject facility. Title Where the applicant s title is concerned, if the IPS link shows the title of e.g. Lord, Lady but the applicant has not requested this on their application form, input the information given by the applicant. It is not necessary to give the title shown on the IPS link, as it is the applicant s choice if they wish to show their title on their driving licence. Place or Country of Birth Where the details on the application form regarding Place (country) of birth differ to those on the IPS link, the details shown on the application form should be given. If the application form has been left blank then make a note on the form of the country shown on the IPS database and endorse the form AS ON CPN. Once all of the relevant details have been checked and the image match those on the application form: Click on the Accept icon. This will take the clerk back into the User Menu screen enabling them to continue checking the application form. Additional Identification Enclosed

13 If identification accompanies the application ensure the Official use only box is completed by ticking the relevant identification submitted (e.g. Marriage Certificate). Only tick Passport if the physical passport has been received, this is not to be used for a passport that has been checked with the IPS Database. If consent is given in Part A to access the IPS database but the applicant has also completed Part B by placing a tick in the box against Passport but no passport accompanies the application, then you MUST enter the applicant s details and passport number in the No ID book. Conferred and Hereditary Titles An applicant may wish to add a conferred title, hereditary title or honour to the personal details section of their licence. A conferred title is usually bestowed by the Crown in recognition of either an individual s achievement in a specific field, contribution to public service or a duty that has warranted recognition. Hereditary titles are passed down to an individual through inheritance within the British Nobility. These titles can be added to a licence but must be evidenced before processing the application. This can be done by checking the copy of the Who s Who book that is currently held on Business Support. Clerks can also refer to the copy of Debretts held in the Open Resource Centre. Casework Team process applications from UK and non-uk applicants who are unable to provide the required identity documents for the Agency to issue a driving licence. SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR PICTURE BUILD UK Where possible, please provide documents that are historic: Expired passport* State Retirement Pension (SRP) letter National Insurance card/ Letter from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirming your National Insurance number Photocopy of the front page of a benefits book Proof of benefits claim letter P45/P60/payslips Marriage certificate/divorce papers (decree nisi or absolute) College/university union card School records * Please note this document will only be considered when accompanied by another document

14 NON UK LIST A at least one Immigration Status Document Home Office issued Certificate of Identity Certificate of Naturalisation LIST B at least four Expired passport National Insurance number card Photocopy of the front page of a benefits book Proof of benefits letter Marriage/ divorce certificate Payslips P45 P60 (Issued by the DWP) Home Office letter DSS letter DWP letters National Insurance (NI) number The National Insurance number cannot be a temporary number (usually starting with TN). Photocopies of documents showing the NI number are not acceptable.