Welcome to our Guide to Identity Verification at Companies House for directors and officers with foreign-language paperwork

Did you know big changes are coming to Companies House, the UK trade register? British citizens and foreign nationals appointed as company officers in the UK will soon be subject to Identity Verification at Companies House.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) has passed through parliament and become law. Read our short guide below, to find out below what this means for directors, company secretaries and those filing documents to Companies House.

Official document translation services for Identity Verification at Companies House

Identity Verification requirements
The new obligation of Identity Verification is a key element of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Under the act, Companies House will be required to verify the identity of anyone submitting information to the public register, including those acting on behalf of a company.

Foreign Nationals
These identity checks will affect any foreign nationals in the UK or abroad, who are appointed to companies on the British trade register. For now, the precise procedure for verifying an individual, including the evidence required, and any related paperwork, has not been published (Nov 2024). However, this gives you a chance to investigate the changes and prepare paperwork in advance by using certified translation services, if required.

Official corporate document translation services
Translation & Secretarial Services specialises in the certified translation of corporate documents for official purposes. This official document translation service covers identity papers, passports, incorporation documents, minutes of meetings, extracts from trade registers etc. Yes, corporate document translation is our deep niche! Would you like help with translations for Identity Verification at Companies House? We offer free consultations and quotes.

Please get in touch here and we will be happy to help you.

An extract of the latest guidance from Companies House

“Companies House will introduce a new identity verification process to help deter those wishing to use companies for illegal purposes.

Anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.

We’re introducing identity verification in a phased approach. Over the coming months, we’ll explain when each of the changes will come into effect and how the identity verification process will work. You do not need to do anything yet.

Who needs to verify their identity?
From autumn 2025, all new directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs) will need to complete identity verification.

Identity verification will also apply to other registration types. For example, any members of a limited liability partnership (LLP) will also need to verify their identity.

For existing companies, all directors (or equivalent) and PSCs will have a 12-month transition period to verify their identity with Companies House.  The transition period will start from autumn 2025. From spring 2026, anyone acting on behalf of a company will also need to verify their identity before they can file information with us.

You can verify directly with Companies House, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

Verifying your identity directly with Companies House
You’ll be able to use GOV.UK One Login to verify your identity using ID documents, such as a passport. There will be a range of support and services available to help you complete this process.

Verifying your identity through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider
Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) are individuals or organisations that undertake anti-money laundering (AML) supervised activity, such as:
• company formation agents
• solicitors
• accountants
• chartered secretaries and governance professionals” (1)

Certain individuals and entities will be obliged to verify their identity via an ACSP. Find out more here, with our Guide to Authorised Corporate Service Providers and our official corporate document translation service. [COMING SOON]
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Good to know: Translation & Secretarial Services is managed by Julie Barber, a certified French to English translator who also holds a qualification in Company Secretarial matters. Consequently, Julie has expert working knowledge of Companies House and filing to its register. This helps us to offer you our specialist and official corporate document translation services because we understand the importance of each document!

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH HERE FOR A FREE CONSULTATION AND QUOTE.
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Useful tips on Identity Verification at Companies House
Did you know that you can use your email account at Companies House to subscribe to news about the Identity Verification changes? To find out more, visit the official CH website.

(1) Source: Companies House

Disclaimer: Translation & Secretarial Services does not provide legal advice. All information on this page and our website is intended for informational purposes only. All clients are solely responsible for checking their translation requirements and their statutory duties. Translation & Secretarial Services declines any liability concerning how visitors to the website use the information provided herein.