Which documents need to be uploaded?

As part of a KYC (Know Your Customer) check, various documents must be provided to verify the identity of customers, beneficial owners and acting persons. These documents vary depending on the type of customer (individual vs. company) and the regulatory requirements. These are the typical documents that need to be provided as part of a KYC check:

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1. For individuals (natural persons)

For individuals, our system requests ID documents

• ID card or passport: a valid, official photo ID. This document is used to verify identity.

A proof of address (a recent document confirming the person's place of residence, e.g. a recent utility bill, a bank statement or an official registration certificate) is not legally required, but can be provided through the system.

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2. For companies (legal entities)

For companies based in Germany, our system automatically retrieves the following documents:

• Commercial register extract: an official extract from the commercial register or a similar document proving the company's registration, including company name, registered office, date of incorporation and legal form.
• List of shareholders: a list of the company's shareholders, especially where there are beneficial owners holding more than 25% of the shares.
• Structure chart or shareholder chart: under the German Anti-Money Laundering Act (GwG), the structure chart is a visual aid that shows a company's ownership and control structure. It shows the relationships between the various legal and natural persons that hold shares in or control the company across several levels, particularly with regard to the beneficial owners. These charts are used to increase transparency and ensure that all relevant persons with direct or indirect influence over the company are identified.
• Power of representation for an acting person: especially for acting persons who are not legal representatives, a power of representation is drawn up that defines the scope of the authority granted to this person in the context of the engagement / transaction.

For certain types of organization (especially foundations and funds), the system expects further standard documents:

• An anti-money laundering declaration (often called an AML declaration) is a document or statement made by companies or individuals to confirm their compliance with regulations on combating money laundering and terrorist financing. It serves as proof that the appropriate precautions and measures have been taken to ensure the company does not support or become involved in illegal financial activities.
• Foundation documents are official documents governing the establishment, structure and administration of a foundation. They set out how the foundation operates, which objectives it pursues and how it is legally organized. These documents are required by law in many countries and ensure transparency and accountability toward supervisory authorities and potential donors or founders. They include the foundation deed (deed of establishment), foundation charter (statutes), proof of assets or foundation capital, and approval notice

For these automatically generated documents, you need to check whether they reflect the company's current status.

Our system also lets you request further documents from customers. These may include

• Articles of association or partnership agreement: these documents provide information on the company's structure, purpose and management.
• Proof of business address: a document confirming the business address, e.g. a rental certificate or a recent invoice.

• Financial reports or annual financial statements: for larger companies or financial institutions, financial reports or annual financial statements may also be requested.
• Bank references or account statements: banks or financial service providers may also require bank references or account statements to assess financial integrity.
• Tax residency declaration: a tax residency declaration may be required for tax purposes, e.g. for international customers or companies.

These documents help verify identity, assess risk and ensure that no illegal activities such as money laundering or terrorist financing are carried out through the company or the person concerned. The exact requirements may vary by country, industry and type of business relationship.

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