Liveness checks: how identity verification opens new coverage

Developers on HIFI can now onboard end users and business customers in Fiji, Jamaica, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.

HIFI is able to expand coverage as compliance standards in each are established and implemented according to the jurisdiction risk level. Liveness checks are a key form of verification that makes these markets available.

What a liveness check is

The applicant records a short video selfie during onboarding. HIFI confirms two things from it: that a real person is present, and that the person present is the one on the identity document they submitted.

That is a stronger form of evidence than a document on its own. A document establishes that a record exists and that the details submitted match it. A liveness check establishes that the person those details belong to is the one completing the onboarding.

What this enables for expanding coverage

In markets where HIFI needs that second confirmation to onboard confidently, the liveness check supplies it.

The result is coverage developers could not offer before.

What this enables for existing coverage

Liveness checks are not tied to geography. Where HIFI's verification outcome for an applicant calls for a live confirmation, the requirement is applied wherever that applicant is, across HIFI's existing footprint.

They also support re-verification over time. Accounts are refreshed on a set cadence rather than reviewed only at onboarding, and the liveness check is part of how that refresh confirms the account still belongs to the person who opened it.

Liveness checks in place of a proof of address document

In the United States, eligible client programs can onboard users with an identity document and a liveness check, with the liveness check accepted in place of a proof of address document. The applicant submits their ID, records the video selfie, and does not need to produce a utility bill or lease.

This is enabled per program rather than by default. HIFI reviews a client's onboarding program before enabling it, and the same path is being qualified for additional markets.

What this means for developers

When an applicant needs to complete a liveness check, the requirement comes back through your existing integration. You receive a KYC status webhook, and you can retrieve it at any time:

GET /v2/users/{userId}/kyc/status

The response returns an actions array with the step and the URL for the applicant to complete:

{
  "status": "PENDING",
  "actions": [
    {
      "type": "LIVENESS_CHECK",
      "url": "https://..."
    }
  ]
}

You present that link inside your own onboarding flow and listen for the status change. The applicant stays in your product, and you get the verification standard that opens the market.

→ Docs: https://docs.hifi.com/v3/compliance/liveness-checks

FAQ

What new markets can developers onboard users in on HIFI?

Developers on HIFI can now onboard end users and business customers in Fiji, Jamaica, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. HIFI expands coverage as compliance standards in each market are established and implemented according to that jurisdiction's risk level, and liveness checks are a key form of verification that makes these markets available.

What is a liveness check?

The applicant records a short video selfie during onboarding, and HIFI confirms two things from it: that a real person is present, and that the person present is the one on the identity document they submitted. A document on its own establishes that a record exists and that the submitted details match it; a liveness check establishes that the person those details belong to is the one completing onboarding.

In markets where HIFI needs that second confirmation, that a real, present person matches the submitted identity document, to onboard confidently, the liveness check supplies it. The result is coverage developers could not offer before.

Do liveness checks play a role after onboarding?

Yes. They also support re-verification over time. Accounts are refreshed on a set cadence rather than reviewed only at onboarding, and the liveness check is part of how that refresh confirms the account still belongs to the person who opened it.

Can a liveness check replace a proof of address document?

In the United States, eligible client programs can onboard users with an identity document and a liveness check, with the liveness check accepted in place of a proof of address document, so the applicant doesn't need to produce a utility bill or lease. This is enabled per program rather than by default: HIFI reviews a client's onboarding program before enabling it, and the same path is being qualified for additional markets.

How does a developer handle a liveness check requirement in their integration'?

The requirement comes back through the existing integration. You receive a KYC status webhook, and you can also retrieve it at any time with GET /v2/users/{userId}/kyc/status, which returns an actions array containing a LIVENESS_CHECK step and a URL for the applicant to complete. You present that link inside your own onboarding flow and listen for the status change, so the applicant stays in your product while you get the verification standard that opens the market.