Complete guide to identity verification including acceptable ID documents, photo requirements, selfie tips and what to expect during verification.
Identity verification is a required security step for everyone who wants to video call someone in prison, a secure hospital or a secure training centre with Purple Visits. It’s a one-time process that takes about 10 minutes to complete and up to 48 hours for review.
Don’t worry - we’ve designed the process to be as straightforward as possible and we’ll guide you through every step. For a quick list of accepted documents, ID for other people on the call and the most common reasons documents get rejected, see What ID do I need?
Purple Visits ID verification requires uploading a photo ID (passport, driving licence or CitizenCard), proof of address and a selfie photo. Identity verification for prison video calls is completed within 24-48 hours and is required by prison service regulations to ensure secure access to video calling services.
We understand that uploading personal documents might feel uncomfortable, but identity verification serves some really important purposes. It ensures that only authorised people can contact individuals in custody, protecting everyone who uses the service. It also protects people in custody from unwanted or inappropriate contact, which is essential for their wellbeing.
This verification is required by prison service regulations and Ministry of Justice policies for all video calling services - it’s not just a Purple Visits thing. It also protects you by preventing someone else from creating an account in your name or misusing your identity.
You’ll need three things: a photo ID, proof of address and a selfie photo.
For your photo ID, you can use a valid UK or foreign passport that hasn’t expired longer than 2 years, a photocard driving licence (UK or foreign) or a CitizenCard (the official UK PASS-accredited photo ID card). No other forms of ID are currently accepted, this includes Bus passes, blue badges, train passes, work ID or anything other than what is listed above.
Don’t have photo ID? You can apply for a CitizenCard at www.citizencard.com. It costs around £15 and is delivered within 2-3 weeks. It’s fully accepted as valid ID for Purple Visits and is also useful for age verification in shops and venues.
If you’re under 18, photo ID isn’t required by the Purple Visits system. However, some establishments may request it on a case-by-case basis and you’ll be notified in the app if this is needed.
You need a recent document that shows both your name and current address. This could be a utility bill (gas, electricity, water or council tax), a bank statement, credit card statement or government letter (like tax, benefits or HMRC correspondence).
The important thing is that it must be dated within the last 3 months, older documents won’t be accepted. Your full name needs to be clearly visible and must match your account name and your complete address including postcode should be shown.
You’ll need to take a selfie specifically for Purple Visits verification. This helps us confirm you’re the same person shown on your photo ID. We’ve got detailed guidance on taking a good selfie below, it makes a real difference to getting verified quickly. Everyone including additional participants under the age of 18 must upload a valid selfie for vericication purposes.
After creating your account and verifying your email, the app will prompt you to “Verify Identity.” You can also find this by opening the Purple Visits app, going to My Account and tapping Verify Identity.
Tap “Upload Photo ID” and choose to either take a new photo or select one from your photo library. For best results, make sure all 4 corners of your ID are visible in the frame, your ID is flat (not bent, curved or folded), there’s no glare or shadows on the document, all text is clear and readable, your photo on the ID is clearly visible and no fingers are covering any part of the ID.
Here’s a tip for getting great photos: use good, even lighting (natural daylight works really well), place your ID on a plain background with a contrasting colour, hold your camera directly above the ID, take the photo from about 30cm (12 inches) away and keep the camera steady to avoid blur.
Tap “Upload Proof of Address” and take a photo or upload your document. Make sure the image is clear and readable. You want your full name clearly visible, your complete address clearly visible, the date clearly visible (and within the last 3 months), the document flat and straight and all text readable. If your address information spans more than one page, you can photograph multiple pages.
Tap “Take Selfie” and follow the on-screen instructions to take a clear photo of your face. The selfie should show just your face and shoulders, with your face matching your ID photo as closely as possible.
The quality of your selfie is really important for getting verified quickly. Here’s what makes a good one.
For your background and lighting, use a plain background like a solid colour wall - not busy patterns or posters. Make sure you have good, even lighting that’s bright but not harsh. Face the light source (like a window or lamp) so your face is well-lit and avoid harsh shadows on your face.
For your position and expression, face the camera directly looking straight ahead. Use a neutral expression (like a passport photo - a slight smile is okay). Hold the camera at eye level, not too high or too low and fill the frame with your face and shoulders.
Make sure your face is fully visible and in focus, both eyes are clearly visible, you’re not wearing sunglasses or tinted glasses, you’re not wearing hats or headwear (unless for religious or medical reasons), your hair isn’t covering your face, you don’t have hands near your face and you’re the only person in the photo (no other people, pets or faces in background).
Common mistakes include photos that are too dark or too bright where we can’t see your features clearly, blurry or out of focus photos from not holding the camera steady, photos taken from too far away where your face is too small, sunglasses or face coverings (your face must be fully visible), hair obscuring your face, harsh shadows on your face, looking away from camera, other people in the background or bathroom mirror selfies.
For the best chance of approval on first try, face a window for natural, even light, use a plain wall as background (white, cream or solid colour), remove glasses if they cause glare (or adjust the angle), tie back long hair so your face is fully visible, hold your phone steady (use a timer if your hands shake), make sure your face is well-lit and all features are clear and match your ID photo as closely as possible with a similar expression.
Once you upload all three items, your documents are sent for review. Automated checks scan your documents first, then human review by trained verification staff follows if required. Standard processing time is up to 48 hours, though most applications are reviewed within 24 hours and often faster.
You’ll receive a notification when verification is complete through an in-app alert when you open Purple Visits, an email sent to your registered email address and SMS if you enabled SMS notifications.
You can check your verification status anytime by opening the Purple Visits app, going to My Account and then Verification Status. Your status will show as PenAwaiting verification, Verified or Rejected (with a reason if rejected).
Here’s something really important: updating your account information during verification restarts the entire process. This means another 48-hour wait. If you realize you need to change something on your account, wait until after verification is complete.
Most verifications complete within 24 hours and up to 48 hours is normal processing time. There’s no need to contact support unless more than 48 hours have passed. We know you’re eager to connect with your loved one and the system is designed to process verifications as quickly as possible while maintaining security standards.
Congratulations! Your identity is verified. You can now add contacts (people in custody), request video calls and fully access all Purple Visits features. Your next step is to add a contact so you can start requesting video calls.
Don’t worry - rejection is usually due to photo quality issues that are easy to fix. You’ll receive a notification explaining the specific reason for rejection. You can resubmit immediately - there’s no limit on resubmission attempts. Just review the rejection reason carefully, fix the issue identified, upload new photos and wait for review again (up to 48 hours).
This usually happens because the photo is too blurry or unclear, there’s glare on the ID document making text unreadable, corners of the ID are cut off in the photo, the ID has expired (for driving licences) or the name on the ID doesn’t match your account name exactly.
To fix this, retake photos in better lighting (natural daylight works best), ensure all 4 corners of ID are visible in the frame, hold your camera steady to avoid blur (use a flat surface if needed), check that your account name matches your ID exactly including middle names, use a different form of ID if the current one is problematic and remove any plastic covers that cause glare.
Common reasons include your face not being clear enough or out of focus, poor lighting creating shadows, wearing sunglasses, hat or face covering, hair covering your face or features, not facing the camera directly, the background being too busy or distracting or other people visible in the photo.
Follow the selfie guidelines above carefully, improve your lighting by facing a window or using good indoor lighting, remove sunglasses, hats and accessories, tie back long hair so your face is fully visible, use a plain solid-colour background, face the camera directly and look straight ahead and take the photo alone in a quiet space.
This usually happens because the document is too old (dated more than 3 months ago), your name isn’t clearly visible or doesn’t match your account, the address isn’t clearly visible or is incomplete.
Use a recent document dated within the last 3 months, ensure both your name and full address are clearly readable, only use accepted document types (utility bill, bank statement, etc.), take a photo of the physical document (or a screenshot) and if your document is folded, flatten it completely before photographing.
This is a critical issue that must be resolved. Your account name must exactly match your photo ID. Include middle names if they appear on your ID and check spelling carefully (like “Steven” vs “Stephen”). If you need to update your account name, visit the “My Account” section of the Purple Visits app.
We accept identity documents from all countries. Foreign passports are fully accepted - they don’t need to be UK passports. They must be valid (not expired), the photo must be clear and recognizable as you and the text doesn’t need to be in English - our verification process can review documents in multiple languages. Some establishments may have additional requirements, so check your contact’s establishment page for specific policies.
We take the security of your personal documents extremely seriously. Your documents are encrypted during transmission while uploading, stored encrypted (AES-256) and access is limited to only authorised verification staff. We never share your documents with third parties (except facility staff as required for your video calls) and documents are deleted when you delete your account, after a 93-day establishment access period.
Want to learn more? Read about Security and Privacy, understand Your Data Rights or review our Privacy Policy.
If you’re having trouble with verification, review the rejection reason carefully - the notification will tell you exactly what needs to be fixed. Try different documents if one ID is problematic - use a different acceptable form of ID. Check our FAQ for common verification questions.
You can also contact our support team - we’re here to help you get verified. Email us at [email protected] or use our contact form. Our support team can review your specific situation and provide personalized guidance. We want to help you connect with your loved one as quickly as possible.
Before submitting your verification, make sure your photo ID is valid (not expired for licences), all 4 corners of ID are visible in the photo, your ID photo is clear and well-lit with no glare, your proof of address is dated within 3 months, your name and address are clearly visible on proof of address, your selfie is taken against a plain background, your face is fully visible in the selfie with good lighting, you’re not wearing glasses (if it adds a glare on your face), hats or have hair covering your face and your account name matches your ID exactly.
Following this checklist will help you get verified quickly on your first attempt!