Video ident vs eID: remote onboarding in DACH from 2027
Video ident vs eID for Germany, Austria and Switzerland: how each works, BaFin, GwG and FM-GwG rules, what the AMLR and AMLA's eID-first final draft change, deepfake risk, costs and a decision table.
In short
Video ident is a live video call in which a trained agent checks a customer's ID document; an eID sign-in reads signed data from a chip or a state app. From 10 July 2027 the AMLR names eID at level substantial or high as a verification means, and AMLA's final draft treats remote document checks such as video as a justified alternative.[1][2]
- German video ident rests on BaFin Circular 3/2017; the German eID is notified at level high.[4][7]
- Only 42% of Germans have the online ID ready to use, so a second route stays necessary.[8]
Video ident (Video-Ident, Videoidentifizierung) is how many German banks open accounts remotely, under rules BaFin has set since 2014. The customer tilts an ID card in front of a webcam, answers an agent's questions and types a code sent by SMS. An electronic identification (eID) sign-in needs no agent: the customer taps the ID card on an NFC phone, types a PIN, and the bank receives data signed by the state.
This guide is for compliance leads in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH), and covers what the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) and the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) change. Start with what eID verification is.
Video ident vs eID at a glance
| Factor | eID sign-in | Video ident | Document + NFC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who checks | The chip and the scheme's server | A trained agent, live[4] | Software reading the chip |
| User needs | Activated eID, PIN, NFC phone or reader[6][24] | Camera, light, an ID with visible security features[4] | Chip document, NFC phone |
| Data received | Only the fields the authorisation allows[6] | Screenshots of the document and the face[4] | Chip data, portrait, selfie result |
| Evidence kept | Signed result | Full audio and video recording, five years in Germany[4] | Time-stamped copies[2] |
| Status from 2027 | Named means at substantial or high[1] | Alternative, with a justification[2] | Alternative, with a justification[2] |
How video ident works under BaFin's rules
In Germany, BaFin's Circular 3/2017 (GW), dated 10 April 2017 and in force since 15 June 2017, sets the minimum requirements. It rests on the Finance Ministry's reading that a video call allows the agent and the customer to sit "face to face", so the identification counts as one between persons present.[4] The circular's requirements apply in full and cumulatively:[4]
- Use trained agents, retrained yearly, in access-controlled rooms.[4]
- Record the whole call, with the customer's explicit consent, over end-to-end encrypted video.[4]
- Check at least three random security features, tilt the card, compute the check digits.[4]
- Close with a one-time code (TAN) sent by email or SMS and typed in during the call.[4]
- Abort on poor light, poor image or any doubt, and keep the recording for five years.[4]
Legal persons cannot be identified by video, only their representatives.[4]
How an eID sign-in works
The German online ID (Online-Ausweis, legally the elektronischer Identitätsnachweis) works with the ID card, the electronic residence permit and the eID card for EU and EEA citizens. It is notified under eIDAS at level high since 26 September 2017.[6][7] Data is released only after a valid authorisation certificate and the PIN.[6] See the eID verification in Germany guide.
Choose how to verify
Use your ID card with the online function.
Online-Ausweis
Use another method
1The customer picks the online ID on the provider's site.
Who is asking
- NameRequested
- Date of birthRequested
- AddressRequested
Continue
2The app shows the provider and the data requested.[6]
Hold your card
Place the ID card flat on the back of your phone.
3The phone reads the card over NFC.[24]
Enter your PIN
Your six-digit ID card PIN.
4The customer types the six-digit PIN in the AusweisApp.[6][24]
You are verified
Data shared after the PIN.
5The eID service returns the allowed attributes.[6]
Types the PIN in the AusweisApp
Simplified: the chip is read only after the certificate check and the PIN.[6][23]
A business connects through an identification service, a hosted eID service with its own authorisation, or its own eID server.[23] An authorisation lasts at most three years.[18] The card returns no national ID number, at most a per-service pseudonym.[6]
The legal basis in Germany, Austria and Switzerland today
Until July 2027, national law decides.
| Country | eID route | Video route | National eID | From 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | GwG § 12(1) no. 2 names the eID under the ID card law[5] | BaFin Circular 3/2017 (GW)[4] | Online-Ausweis, notified, high[7] | AMLR applies[1] |
| Austria | FM-GwG § 6(4) no. 2, an electronic ID[10] | FM-GwG § 6(4) no. 1, video identification[10] | ID Austria, notified, high[7] | AMLR applies[1] |
| Switzerland | E-ID under consultation at FINMA[12] | FINMA Circular 2016/7[12] | E-ID, launch postponed[14] | Outside the EU |
ID Austria had almost 6.3 million registrations on 1 September 2026.[11] FINMA consulted from 16 December 2025 on letting intermediaries offer the E-ID for digital account opening; the Swiss Bankers Association noted the draft covers online but not video identification.[12][13] The E-ID launch planned for 1 December 2026 was postponed on 30 June 2026 with no new date.[14] More in the Austria and Switzerland guides.
Note
Liechtenstein shows that video can feed an eID. An eID.li registered by video identification (class B) is notified at level substantial; one registered in person (class A) is notified at high.[7][16]
Video ident vs eID under the AMLR from July 2027
The AMLR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1624) applies from 10 July 2027 in every EU member state, Germany and Austria included.[1] Article 22(6) names two means of verification:
Article 22(6)Regulation (EU) 2024/1624
"(a) the submission of an identity document, passport or equivalent and, where relevant, the acquisition of information from reliable and independent sources, whether accessed directly or provided by the customer; (b) the use of electronic identification means which meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 with regard to the assurance levels 'substantial' or 'high' and relevant qualified trust services as set out in that Regulation."
Source: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2024/1624[1]
The AMLR has no article on video identification, selfies, liveness or biometrics.[1] AMLA's final draft standards of 30 September 2026, sent to the Commission and not yet law, say eID "should be used wherever possible", whether or not the scheme is notified, as long as it meets substantial or high, and that this includes EUDI Wallets.[2] Its Article 7 allows alternative remote solutions only when the person cannot reasonably be expected to show the document in person and has no access to qualifying eID and relevant qualified trust services. A forgotten PIN alone is not enough. The obliged entity "shall be able to justify why the customer could not be verified" through the Article 22(6) means.[2] The standards are proposed to apply six months after their entry into force.[2]
- 15 June 2017BaFin rulesCircular 3/2017 on video ident in force.
- 2 October 2023EBA guidelinesRemote onboarding rules apply.
- 30 September 2026AMLA draftFinal draft puts eID first.
- 2 January 2027d-youGermany's EUDI Wallet launches.
- 10 July 2027AMLR appliesArticle 22(6) applies EU-wide.
From national rules to one EU rulebook.[1][2][3][4][17]
Open as of 5 October 2026: how strictly supervisors will read "does not have access to" (a customer who holds an eID but prefers video, for example), and whether BaFin's circular or the EBA guidelines survive after 10 July 2027. The EUDI Wallet page explains the wallet that Germany launches on 2 January 2027 with bank account opening among its first uses.[17]
Security: deepfakes, chips and phishing
Video ident checks images of a document and a face sent over a network. The EBA guidelines ask firms to check that a reproduction "has not been displayed on a screen based on a photograph or scan", to run liveness detection in unattended solutions, and to add randomness to the sequence of actions.[3] BaFin adds random security features and questions against social engineering.[4] In August 2022, according to the Chaos Computer Club, its researchers defeated common video ident systems.[20] Switzerland postponed its E-ID launch partly to harden online issuance against AI and deepfake risks.[14]
An eID sign-in does not depend on a face on camera: the chip answers only after the certificate check and the PIN.[6] In February 2024, according to heise, a researcher showed that a malicious app could capture the AusweisApp PIN. The BSI, the federal cyber security office, said it was not an attack on the eID system itself.[15] In Austria, criminals used fake "renew your ID Austria" messages: almost 100 cases with about EUR 0.5 million in damage were known in April 2026.[19]
Watch out
No route stops a customer coached by a fraudster. Keep device checks and transaction monitoring on top of any identity route.
Conversion and cost factors
No regulator in the three countries publishes completion rates or per-check prices for either route, and we found none we could verify as of 5 October 2026.
| Factor | eID sign-in | Video ident |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 42% of Germans have the online ID ready; 25% use it[8] | Anyone with an accepted ID document and a camera[4] |
| Friction | Forgotten PIN: the online reset service was suspended on 29 December 2023[9] | Needs a free trained agent; abort on poor light or image[4] |
| Eligibility | From age 16; foreigners need a German permit or the EU eID card[6] | No legal persons, only their representatives[4] |
| Cost drivers | An authorisation renewed at least every three years, or an identification service[18][23] | Trained staff, access-controlled rooms, five years of recordings[4] |
51% of Germans say having to identify digitally stops them using more e-government services.[8] Offer the eID first, keep the Article 7 alternative ready, and measure completion per route. See the eID verification cost guide.
Which route to offer: a decision table
1Offer the customer's eID first
The customer can complete an eID at substantial or high
Verify with eID
Article 22(6)(b); collect missing data elsewhere.
Check draft Article 7(1) first
Remote document check only with no qualified trust service and no reasonable in-person option. Record why.
2Screen and decide
Screening and risk scoring stay with you.
An eID-first flow as AMLA's final draft describes it.[2]
| Situation | Route to use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| German resident with an activated ID card | eID | Named means, no agent, signed data[1][5] |
| Forgotten PIN or eID not activated | Qualified trust services or the document in person first; document + NFC or video only as the alternative | A forgotten PIN alone is not enough: draft Article 7(1) also requires no access to relevant qualified trust services and no reasonable in-person option; record the reason[2] |
| Customer living in a third country | eID or qualified trust services first; document route only as the alternative | Recital 66 points to relevant qualified trust services.[1] Draft Article 7 allows the document alternative only when neither is available and an in-person check cannot reasonably be expected[2] |
| Swiss customer of a Swiss intermediary | Video or online identification | FINMA 2016/7; the E-ID is not live yet[12][14] |
| Representative of a company | eID or video for the person | Video cannot identify the company itself[4] |
The document and NFC route
Reading the chip of an e-passport or eID card over NFC and matching the chip portrait to a live selfie gives a remote document check without an agent. AMLA's final draft names no technique: it asks for holder controls, secure communication, readable images, a stop on any doubt, and time-stamped copies.[2] Its recital points to ICAO Document 9303 for document security features.[2] In Switzerland, according to a FINMA announcement of May 2021, online identification may use NFC chip reading.[21]
Under today's EBA guidelines, a notified eID at substantial or high meets the remote onboarding criteria.[3] See NFC chip security.
| eID | Country | Level | EU notified | Didit status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| German eID card (Online-Ausweis) | Germany | High | Yes, 26 September 2017[7] | Coming soon |
| ID Austria | Austria | High | Yes, 27 April 2022[7] | On request |
| Swiss E-ID | Switzerland | Not set | Not EU-notified | On request |
| eID.li | Liechtenstein | High or substantial | Yes, 19 April 2023[7] | On request |
How Didit helps with eID verification in German-speaking markets
The German eID card is on Didit's roadmap, and Didit adds ID Austria and other schemes on request. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland today, Didit runs the document route: ID verification with NFC chip reading, liveness and a face match, plus AML screening. A full KYC check costs $0.33, NFC verification $0.15, AML screening $0.20 and ongoing monitoring $0.07 per person per year. Five national eIDs are live in seven other countries through digital ID wallets, in the same workflow; see the AMLR page and the docs.[22]
Didit provides
- Document checks with chip reading, liveness and face match
- National eIDs where live, in one workflow
- The evidence of every check, time-stamped
Stays with you
- The choice of routes and the risk assessment
- The justification for each remote document case
- The onboarding decision and the liability
Key takeaways
- From 10 July 2027, the AMLR names eID at substantial or high as one of two verification means.
- AMLA's final draft treats remote document checks, video included, as an alternative under the Article 7(1) conditions, with a reason per case.
- Only 42% of Germans have the online ID ready; a document check with NFC chip reading and liveness gives a second route without an agent.
Frequently asked questions
Is video ident still allowed after the AMLR applies?
Yes, as an alternative. AMLA's final draft lets firms keep existing remote onboarding tools that meet its minimum requirements, only when the customer has no access to qualifying eID or relevant qualified trust services and cannot reasonably be expected to show the document in person.[2] The firm must be able to justify each case. The draft is not law yet.
Is video ident an eIDAS electronic identification means?
No. Article 22(6)(b) of the AMLR refers to electronic identification means under eIDAS at level substantial or high, and the AMLR has no article on video identification.[1] A video call is a remote check of a document.
What is the legal basis for video ident in Germany today?
BaFin Circular 3/2017 (GW), in force since 15 June 2017.[4] It treats a video call as identification between persons present, following the Finance Ministry's reading. The requirements apply in full and cumulatively.
Can a German bank open an account with the online ID?
Yes. Section 12(1) no. 2 of the Money Laundering Act (GwG) names the electronic proof of identity under the ID card law as a verification method.[5] The bank needs an authorisation or an identification service to receive the data.[18][23]
Is video ident vulnerable to deepfakes?
It checks images sent over a network, so manipulated or replayed images are the risk the rules target. The EBA guidelines ask for screen-replay checks, liveness in unattended solutions and random actions.[3] Switzerland postponed its E-ID partly over deepfake risks in online issuance.[14]
Can Swiss banks use the E-ID instead of video?
Not yet. FINMA consulted on letting intermediaries offer the E-ID for digital account opening, and the E-ID launch was postponed on 30 June 2026 with no new date.[12][14] FINMA Circular 2016/7 on video and online identification sets the rules meanwhile.
What does a document and NFC check add?
It reads the chip data of the passport or ID card and matches the chip portrait to a live selfie, with no agent. Under AMLA's final draft it is a remote alternative with the same safeguards as video, under the same Article 7(1) conditions.[2]
What do eID and video ident cost per check?
Neither German eID services nor video ident providers publish a federal or standard price, and we found no fee schedule for the authorisation as of 5 October 2026. Didit's document route costs $0.33 for a full KYC check and $0.15 for NFC verification.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 (AMLR), EUR-Lex, Articles 22(6) and 90.
- Final Report, draft RTS under Article 28(1) AMLR, AMLA, 30 September 2026.
- Guidelines on the use of remote customer onboarding solutions (EBA/GL/2022/15), European Banking Authority.
- Rundschreiben 3/2017 (GW), Videoidentifizierungsverfahren, BaFin, 10 April 2017.
- Geldwäschegesetz § 12, Gesetze im Internet.
- Personalausweisgesetz § 18, elektronischer Identitätsnachweis, Gesetze im Internet.
- Overview of pre-notified and notified eID schemes under eIDAS, European Commission, read 5 October 2026.
- eGovernment MONITOR 2025, Initiative D21 and TU München.
- Suspension of the PIN reset and activation service, Personalausweisportal.
- Finanzmarkt-Geldwäschegesetz § 6, RIS, Austria.
- 6.3 million ID Austria issued, Austrian government release, 8 September 2026.
- Consultation on video and online identification, FINMA, 16 December 2025.
- Statement on the FINMA Circular 2016/7 revision, Swiss Bankers Association, 26 February 2026.
- E-ID launch postponed, Swiss Federal Council, 30 June 2026.
- Note on a reported eID weakness, BSI, 16 February 2024.
- eID.li questions and answers, Liechtenstein National Administration.
- d-you: Germany launches a digital identity for all, BMDS, 9 September 2026.
- Personalausweisgesetz § 21, Gesetze im Internet.
- Warning on fake ID Austria renewal messages, Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office, 7 April 2026.
- Chaos Computer Club hacks video ident, Chaos Computer Club, August 2022 (secondary).
- Revision of Circular 2016/7 on online identification, FINMA, May 2021 (secondary, title only).
- Digital ID wallets, Didit documentation.
- Become a service provider, AusweisApp, German federal government.
- PIN reset letter and NFC requirements, German federal PIN letter service.
See which national eIDs you can accept today on the eID verification page.
One workflow for eID and documents
Start with the document and chip route, and add national eIDs as they arrive.
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