Companies House identity verification for Finland: UK directors and individual PSCs may use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) when GOV.UK One Login is unsuitable or unsuccessful. Ginkgo Advisory provides a solicitor-led remote service, with express same-day verification checks available where eligibility, evidence and scheduling permit. You do not need to keep repeating an unsuccessful app scan before asking us to review an alternative route.
Companies House recognises two routes: free verification through GOV.UK One Login, or verification by an ACSP. Our ACSP-registered legal consultant can check suitable applicants remotely. Verification, receiving a personal code, and filing the relevant role statement are distinct steps.
Why the Companies House deadline matters
Mandatory identity verification began on 18 November 2025, but that date was the start of a transition rather than one common filing deadline for all existing directors and PSCs. The due date depends on the role and company record. Companies House can send default letters and may impose penalties or take other proportionate enforcement action for non-compliance.
Companies House may begin by providing information and reminders and can take further action where identity-verification requirements remain unmet. Missing a deadline does not necessarily lead to an immediate fine, but continued non-compliance can result in enforcement. See the official Companies House enforcement framework.
GOV.UK One Login difficulties for Finland applicants
When living in Finland or presenting Finland-issued photo ID, a UK company officer may encounter a practical problem verifying through GOV.UK One Login. The precise cause needs diagnosis; there is no blanket rule that a document issued in Finland will or will not work.
- Unsupported photo ID: the document you hold may not be supported by the app or another direct route.
- Chip or face-scan errors: a phone, document or image-capture step does not complete successfully.
- Security-question difficulties: insufficient matching records, an overseas history or changed details may affect the online questions.
- Incorrect register details: a name, birth date or other record may not match the identity details tied to the code.
- Wrong problem being solved: someone who is already verified may need help linking the code or correcting the company record, rather than paying for another check.
The government route remains free and may work for many applicants. An ACSP is a paid alternative route to completing the identity check, not a way to bypass identity-document or anti-money-laundering standards. Read Companies House guidance on ACSP verification.
How Ginkgo Advisory’s solicitor-led ACSP route works
Ginkgo Advisory’s legal consultant, KH Lam, LLB, LLM, is a practising solicitor of England and Wales who is personally registered as an ACSP with Companies House. He personally oversees identity verification matters handled through Ginkgo Advisory.
- Describe the Companies House role. Tell us whether you are a director, an individual PSC or both; identify the company number and the deadline you have been given.
- Explain the GOV.UK problem. Say whether the issue is unsupported ID, a phone-chip or face scan, security questions, account access, or a mismatch between your ID and Companies House record.
- Send document details for initial review. Provide the document types, issuing countries and expiry dates. We will explain how to submit sensitive documents securely after acceptance.
- Complete professional checks. Our ACSP-registered legal consultant supervises the appropriate evidence checks and remote identity-verification call where suitable.
- Submit and use the result. Following successful checks and ACSP submission, Companies House sends the personal code to the email address supplied; you must then provide it for each relevant role through the appropriate Companies House service.
The published standard service starts from £138 per verification. Please request an express quote and appointment availability. A video call alone is not sufficient without all mandatory verification checks.
If you are in Finland, the UK obligation depends on your Companies House role, not on where you live. The relevant identity document must be individually reviewed; overseas status is not, by itself, a reason to assume the GOV.UK One Login route or an ACSP route will succeed or fail.
Directors and PSCs: which deadline applies?
| Role or circumstance | Action |
|---|---|
| Existing director | Provide the personal code through the relevant company confirmation statement process. Check the company’s specific filing date. |
| Existing PSC who is also a director of the same company | Provide the code separately as a PSC during the 14-day window that starts the day after the company’s confirmation statement date. |
| Existing PSC who is not a director of that company | Normally provide the code within the first 14 days of the PSC’s birth month, subject to the official timing rules. |
| PSC added after 18 November 2025 | Provide the code when added to the register or within 14 days of being added. |
| PSC approaching a deadline without a code | Consider an online extension before the current deadline; do not assume it is automatic. |
A director who is also a PSC must normally provide the same personal code in two different role processes; submitting a confirmation statement as director does not, by itself, satisfy the separate PSC statement requirement. Check the detailed Companies House timing rules.
If your PSC deadline is close: extension or ACSP?
Consider both questions together: (1) can a registered ACSP complete the mandatory check promptly? and (2) do you still need time to submit your PSC verification statement? An express appointment does not automatically suspend the PSC due date.
- Before the current deadline: use the PSC verification and extension service to request an extension; a qualifying request can move the due date by up to 14 days.
- If two online extensions have already been granted: use the formal third-or-further extension application rather than treating the dedicated form as a first-time request.
- For the further request: provide the PSC’s Companies House name, company number, reason, and supporting evidence. The official form explains acceptable examples and allows up to two documents.
- Decision: an examiner decides whether to grant another extension of up to 14 days. If refused, the existing deadline remains; the request is not itself confirmation of a new deadline.
- After the deadline has passed: the official extension route cannot be used retrospectively. Seek prompt compliance and review any default letter or representation deadline separately.
If the date has already passed, the official extension mechanism is not retroactive. Completing the verification and role statement remains important, and any separate enforcement correspondence must be addressed appropriately.
Documents: a short note on PRADO
PRADO is the Council of the European Union’s reference library for identity and travel-document types. View the Finland document listing. A PRADO listing alone is not proof that a particular document is valid or acceptable for Companies House. For person-led Option 2 checks, Companies House generally requires either two Group A photo IDs, or one Group A photo ID and one Group B document; the specific evidence rules must be satisfied.
Read the official ACSP identity verification standard before treating any passport, ID card, residence document or driving licence as automatically sufficient.
Your code is not the final PSC filing
Following a successful ACSP submission, Companies House sends the personal code to the email address supplied to the ACSP. The individual must then provide the code, and the relevant verification statement, for each Companies House role. If the code already exists, ask first about resolving a code or account issue rather than buying a second verification. See official personal-code guidance.
Request express Companies House verification for Finland
For applicants connected with Finland, email certify@ginkgoadvisory.com with the UK company number, your director/PSC role, country of residence, type of available ID, GOV.UK problem and exact deadline. Do not email passports or sensitive evidence until a secure submission method has been agreed.
Review Ginkgo Advisory’s ACSP service or contact our London team. Read the paired PSC deadline and enforcement guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can a director or PSC linked to Finland use an ACSP instead of GOV.UK One Login?
Yes. Companies House permits verification through a registered ACSP as an alternative to the free GOV.UK route, provided the mandatory evidence checks can be met. You can enquire before retrying a failed app process.
Does a failed face scan or passport-chip scan mean identity verification is impossible?
No. A GOV.UK One Login difficulty may be specific to its technology or available routes. A registered ACSP may apply an appropriate, separately regulated verification method after reviewing the documents and circumstances.
Can Ginkgo Advisory complete Companies House verification on the same day?
Express same-day checks and ACSP submission are available for eligible cases when all evidence is ready, checks are satisfactory and an appointment is available. Companies House controls personal-code delivery; the result cannot be guaranteed before review.
If I am both a director and a PSC, must I verify twice?
Normally no: your verified identity and personal code are personal to you. You must still use the code separately for the director role and the PSC role through the appropriate Companies House processes.
Can I request a PSC deadline extension if I cannot verify in time?
An extension request must be made before the current PSC verification deadline. Use the official PSC service initially; further applications after two online extensions require evidence and examiner review.
What if the PSC deadline has already passed?
You cannot obtain the standard PSC extension retrospectively. Work to complete the required verification and PSC statement promptly, and respond within any specified period if Companies House sends a default letter or invites representations.