Overview
When you run CDD checks on an overseas individual client, some results will differ from what you see for UK-based clients. This is expected and reflects the availability of data sources in different countries.
This article explains what each result means for an international client and what action you need to take.
ℹ️ Important
N/A is not an error. It means the data source does not hold records for the client's country. This is expected behaviour for overseas clients and does not indicate a problem with the check.
Where you will see this
You will see these results when reviewing a completed Engage request for a client with an international address. Open the request from your Engage dashboard and review each section of the CDD report.
What each result means
ID Document Verification
Legl can verify government-issued photo ID from any country. This check will return a result as normal.
Biometric Check
The selfie match runs regardless of the client's location. This check will return a result as normal.
Identity Validation
This check uses UK datasets such as credit agencies and the electoral register to validate the client's identity. For international clients, there is often insufficient data available in these sources. This means Identity Validation will typically return N/A. This is expected behaviour, not an error.
Financial Screening
Financial Screening checks for County Court Judgments (CCJs), which are UK-only records. For any client with an address outside the UK, this check will return N/A. Again, this is expected behaviour.
Watchlist Screening (Sanctions and PEP)
Sanctions and PEP screening is global. This check will return a result as normal regardless of the client's location.
Proof of Address Verification
If your workflow includes Proof of Address Verification, the client will be asked to upload a proof of address document. This check provides an alternative way to verify the client's address when Identity Validation is unavailable. You will see a Clear or Consider result:
Clear: The document was verified successfully and the address matches the client's details
Consider: The document could not be fully verified or there is a mismatch. Review the document manually and make a decision based on your firm's procedures
Common reasons you might see this
The client has an address outside the UK, so UK-specific data sources (credit agencies, electoral register, CCJs) do not hold records for them
The client's country has limited coverage in the datasets used for Identity Validation
What you need to do
N/A results on Identity Validation and Financial Screening do not require action. These are expected for international clients
Review the ID Document Verification, Biometric Check, and Watchlist Screening results as you would for any client
If Proof of Address Verification is included, review the Clear or Consider outcome and take action based on your firm's compliance procedures
If a Consider result is returned on any check, investigate further before completing the review
What happens next
Once you have reviewed all results, complete the review in Legl as normal. If your firm uses Risk Assessments, you can link the completed CDD to a risk assessment from the contact page.
Important information
Proof of Address Verification is the recommended approach for verifying an overseas client's address when Identity Validation returns N/A
If you are unsure how to interpret a result, contact your MLRO or compliance team before completing the review
For technical questions about how a check returned a particular result, contact our Support team