UK Companies House Identity Verification for Italian Nationals: A Clear Guide for Directors and PSCs

Italian nationals who act as directors or people with significant control, known as PSCs, of UK companies must complete Companies House identity verification.

After you verify your identity, Companies House gives you an 11-character personal code. The code belongs to you rather than to a specific company. You can use the same code for every UK company where you act as a director or PSC, but you must connect it separately to each role.

Important Point for Italian Nationals

Italian nationals usually have several strong identity document options.

Depending on the verification route, you may be able to use:

• a valid Italian biometric passport, known as a passaporto;
• an Italian Electronic Identity Card, known as a Carta d’Identità Elettronica or CIE;
• an Italian EU photocard driving licence, known as a patente di guida;
• an eligible UK-issued photographic document; or
• one photographic identity document together with a Group B supporting document.

For a person-led remote video check, you will normally need either two Group A photographic identity documents or one Group A document and one Group B supporting document. Anyone who lives outside the UK must provide at least one government-issued document.

Direct answer: For most Italian directors and PSCs, the strongest document combinations are an Italian passport plus a CIE, or an Italian passport plus a current Italian EU photocard driving licence.

Important Deadline for Italian Paper Identity Cards

Italian nationals should take particular care if they still hold a traditional paper identity card, known as a carta d’identità cartacea.

From 3 August 2026, an ordinary Italian paper identity card can no longer be used for international travel. Italian Decree-Law 108 of 26 June 2026 preserves only narrow transitional uses, including certain contracts entered into by 3 August 2026 and specified public, health, banking and essential services while the holder waits for a CIE. Those limited arrangements do not make an ordinary paper card a dependable document for a new Companies House verification.

For Companies House purposes, Italian applicants should not rely on a paper identity card after 2 August 2026. A current CIE, passport or EU photocard driving licence provides a much clearer route.

The same Decree-Law also allows Italian municipalities to issue a new emergency provisional identity document in urgent cases. It may remain valid for up to six months, but foreign countries may not accept it. Do not assume that such a provisional document will qualify for Companies House verification without checking its exact format and status first.

Who Must Complete Companies House Identity Verification?

The requirement applies to Italian nationals who are:

• directors of UK limited companies;
• becoming directors of UK companies;
• registered as PSCs;
• becoming PSCs of existing companies;
• forming UK companies in which they will act as directors or PSCs; or
• applying to register as Companies House authorised agents.

Mandatory identity verification started on 18 November 2025. Companies House introduced it through a 12-month transition period rather than one universal deadline for every existing director and PSC.

Existing directors normally provide their personal codes through their companies’ next confirmation statements. All directors must verify before the company files that confirmation statement. New companies must provide a personal code for each proposed director during incorporation.

PSCs follow separate 14-day compliance periods. The exact period depends on whether the PSC also acts as a director and when Companies House first recorded the PSC.

How Can Italian Nationals Verify Their Identity?

Italian nationals can use one of two main routes.

1. Verify Through GOV.UK One Login

Companies House offers a free direct verification service through GOV.UK One Login.

Depending on your documents, device and personal circumstances, the service may ask you to:

• use the GOV.UK One Login app;
• answer security questions online; or
• attend a participating UK Post Office.

The service selects the available route based on your device, documents and access to relevant UK records.

Using an Italian Passport in the GOV.UK One Login App

An Italian national can normally try the app route with a valid biometric passport.

The app accepts a non-UK passport that contains a biometric chip. You must scan the passport’s biodata page and electronic chip. You must also complete a facial comparison.

The app does not accept expired passports.

PRADO records the current Italian ordinary passport under reference ITA-AO-02005. Italy first issued this version on 27 September 2023. Earlier Italian biometric passport models may also remain valid until their individual expiry dates.

A current Italian biometric passport will therefore provide the clearest GOV.UK One Login route for many applicants.

Can You Use an Italian CIE in the App?

The GOV.UK One Login app does not currently list foreign national identity cards as accepted app documents.

You should therefore not assume that an Italian CIE will work through the mobile app, even though the CIE contains a biometric chip. The published app route accepts a non-UK biometric passport but not an EU national identity card.

However, the GOV.UK One Login Post Office route accepts a national identity photocard from an EU country. It also accepts an EU photocard driving licence. You must first start the online process and receive instructions to attend a participating Post Office.

This option may suit Italian nationals who live in the UK. It will usually offer less convenience to someone who lives in Italy and does not plan to travel to the UK.

2. Verify Through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider

An Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or ACSP, can verify a client’s identity for Companies House.

ACSPs commonly include regulated solicitors, accountants and company service providers. Companies House permits an ACSP to complete the checks remotely or in person. However, the ACSP must follow every step in the Companies House identity verification standard.

The ACSP route may suit an Italian director or PSC who:

• lives in Italy or another country outside the UK;
• cannot use GOV.UK One Login;
• does not have a compatible smartphone;
• cannot scan the Italian passport chip;
• wants to use a CIE or Italian driving licence;
• has a paper Italian identity card;
• has different birth and married surnames on separate records;
• has several forenames or a name containing an apostrophe;
• needs help checking the Companies House record; or
• wants remote verification by video call.

How Many Documents Do You Need?

The number of documents depends on the verification method.

Option 1: Technology-Led Verification

One eligible photographic document may be enough where the ACSP uses suitable identity document validation technology, known as IDVT.

The technology must validate all relevant cryptographic and physical security features.

Companies House permits the following documents under Option 1:

• a biometric or machine-readable passport;
• a UK or EU photocard driving licence;
• an identity card with biometric information from an EU country;
• certain UK biometric immigration documents;
• a UK Frontier Worker permit; or
• an eVisa.

A biometric or machine-readable passport may be up to six months expired under Option 1 if the technology can still validate its cryptographic features.

For Italian nationals, suitable Option 1 documents may include:

• an Italian biometric passport;
• an Italian CIE;
• an Italian EU photocard driving licence; or
• an eligible UK immigration document.

Option 2: Person-Led Verification

A trained person may check the documents remotely by video call or examine them in person.

Under this route, the applicant must provide:

• two Group A photographic identity documents; or
• one Group A photographic identity document and one Group B supporting document.

An applicant who lives outside the UK must provide at least one government-issued document.

A passport can be up to 18 months expired under Option 2. However, it must not have been cancelled or replaced by a newer passport. Other documents normally need to remain current unless Companies House provides a specific exception.

Italian applicants who use a person-led video service should therefore prepare two suitable documents before the appointment.

Group A Photographic ID for Italian Nationals

1. Italian Passport

An Italian passport normally provides the clearest Group A document.

PRADO lists the current Italian ordinary passport as:

• ITA-AO-02005;
• Passaporto; and
• first issued on 27 September 2023.

The current model has a maximum validity of 10 years. Italy also updated the personalisation font so that the passport can display diacritics more accurately.

Under the person-led Companies House route, a passport may be up to 18 months expired. However, you cannot use it if the Italian authorities have cancelled it, replaced it or marked it as invalid.

A current passport will usually make the process easier.

2. Italian Electronic Identity Card

Italy calls its current national identity card the Carta d’Identità Elettronica, or CIE.

The CIE provides strong Group A photographic identity evidence. It contains biometric information and may also qualify as the single document under Option 1 where suitable technology can validate its chip and security features.

PRADO records the current Italian CIE design under reference ITA-BO-04005. Italy first issued this version in September 2022.

The current CIE:

• uses bank-card format;
• contains a contactless microchip;
• displays the holder’s photograph;
• contains personal and biometric information;
• includes physical anti-counterfeit features;
• can support online authentication; and
• may act as a travel document within the EU and associated Schengen countries where it is valid for expatriation.

Clients should send clear images of both sides of the CIE before the video appointment.

Earlier CIE Versions

The previous CIE model, listed under PRADO reference ITA-BO-04004, was first issued on 4 July 2016.

Italy confirms that CIE cards issued before the September 2022 design change remain valid until their natural expiry dates. An earlier CIE can therefore still provide suitable Group A evidence if it remains current and passes the required document checks.

Some Italian identity cards carry the wording “NON VALIDA PER L’ESPATRIO”, meaning that the card is not valid for foreign travel. The ACSP should review the exact document rather than treating the travel restriction as an automatic answer to the Companies House question.

Does a CIE Prove Your Current Address?

Do not rely on the CIE alone as current proof of address.

Italian authorities treat the CIE primarily as an identity document rather than a residence document. A change of address does not normally require the holder to replace the card. The ACSP may therefore request a bank statement, utility bill, mortgage statement or other evidence of the current address and previous 12 months of address history.

3. Italian Paper Identity Card

PRADO lists several older Italian identity card models, including paper and earlier card formats. This means that some paper documents historically fell within the PRADO-listed photographic identification category.

However, the legal position changes on 3 August 2026.

After that date, ordinary paper identity cards cannot be used for international travel. Italian law preserves only limited transitional uses in Italy, such as certain pre-existing contractual relationships and specified essential services while the holder waits for a CIE.

For a new Companies House identity check, applicants should use:

• a CIE;
• an Italian passport;
• an Italian EU photocard driving licence; or
• another accepted document combination.

Do not assume that a paper card remains acceptable merely because its printed expiry date falls after 3 August 2026.

4. Italian Driving Licence

A valid Italian EU photocard driving licence can provide Group A photographic identity evidence.

Companies House expressly accepts EU photocard driving licences under both Option 1 and Option 2.

Italy calls the driving licence a patente di guida. PRADO records the current Italian model under reference ITA-FO-06001. Italy first issued this version on 19 January 2013.

The current licence:

• uses bank-card format;
• contains the holder’s photograph;
• includes laser-engraved personal information;
• contains several physical security features; and
• establishes the holder’s identity in Italy.

A driving licence does not, by itself, prove Italian nationality.

Send clear images of both the front and reverse before the video appointment.

Older Italian Driving Licences

PRADO also lists earlier Italian driving licence models from 2002, 1996, 1990 and 1974. Some use older card or paper formats.

Companies House expressly accepts an EU photocard driving licence. An older paper or booklet licence does not fall as clearly within that category.

An older licence may require individual review under the separate PRADO-listed photographic ID category. Applicants should not rely on one without checking:

• the exact model;
• whether it remains legally valid;
• whether it has been replaced;
• whether the photograph still provides a reliable likeness; and
• whether the verifier can examine its security features.

A current Italian photocard licence, passport or CIE will usually provide a clearer remote verification route.

5. Eligible UK-Issued Documents

Italian nationals who live in the UK may also hold other Group A documents.

Examples include:

• a UK photocard driving licence;
• a UK biometric residence card;
• a UK biometric residence permit that falls within an allowed expiry exception;
• a UK Frontier Worker permit;
• a photographic government-issued work permit;
• a photographic immigration document; or
• a photographic visa.

The ACSP must confirm that the document falls within the Companies House rules and remains suitable for validation.

Group B Supporting Documents

You can use one Group B document where you only have one suitable Group A photographic document.

Companies House Group B documents include:

• a birth or adoption certificate;
• a marriage or civil partnership certificate;
• a non-photographic immigration document;
• a non-photographic visa;
• a non-photographic work permit;
• a bank or building society statement;
• a mortgage statement showing the current address;
• a utility bill showing the current address;
• an insurance policy showing the current address;
• a UK council tax statement; or
• a qualifying UK local-authority or social-housing rental agreement.

An Italian bank statement, mortgage statement, utility bill or civil-status certificate may work where the document:

• belongs to the applicant;
• comes from a genuine organisation;
• clearly shows the relevant personal information;
• supports the stated identity or address;
• contains no signs of alteration; and
• allows the verifier to confirm recent activity.

The ACSP may request an English translation where important information appears only in Italian.

Can You Use a Codice Fiscale or Tessera Sanitaria?

Do not rely on an Italian tax code, known as a codice fiscale, as one of the required identity documents.

The codice fiscale is a personal tax identifier rather than a separate photographic identity document. Although the CIE itself displays the holder’s codice fiscale, the number alone does not satisfy the Companies House document requirements.

Companies House also does not include an ordinary Italian health card, known as a tessera sanitaria, in its published Group A or Group B document lists. It may provide additional background information, but it should not replace one of the required documents.

Recommended Document Combinations

Italian Passport and CIE

This combination provides two strong Group A photographic identity documents.

A current biometric passport and current CIE will often provide the strongest document set for a person-led remote check.

Italian Passport and EU Photocard Driving Licence

This combination also provides two Group A documents.

Both documents should show consistent names and dates of birth.

CIE and Italian Driving Licence

A current CIE and EU photocard driving licence can also provide two Group A documents.

The verifier may still request a passport where the case requires clearer evidence of nationality or identity history.

Italian Passport and Bank Statement

This combination provides one Group A document and one Group B document.

The statement should show the applicant’s full name and recent account activity. Where it supports the current address, the details should match the information supplied for verification.

Italian Passport and Utility Bill

A utility bill may provide the second document where it clearly shows the applicant’s current home address.

The verifier must be able to identify the service provider and check that the document appears genuine.

Italian Passport and Mortgage Statement

This combination may work where the mortgage statement clearly shows the applicant’s current residential address.

Italian Passport and Marriage Certificate

A marriage certificate can help where the applicant uses a married surname in the UK but retains their birth surname on Italian identity documents.

It may explain differences between the passport, CIE, bank documents and Companies House register.

Italian Names, Married Surnames and Multiple Forenames

Italian identity documents require careful name checks.

Birth Surname After Marriage

Italian women generally retain their legal birth surname on Italian passports and identity cards after marriage. The CIE does not normally replace the birth surname with the husband’s surname.

This can create a mismatch where:

• an Italian passport shows the birth surname;
• a UK bank account uses the married surname;
• a British passport uses the married surname; or
• Companies House records the person under the married surname.

A marriage certificate may help connect the two names. In some cases, an Italian consulate may issue a Certificato di Concordanza Anagrafica confirming that the different names relate to the same person.

Multiple Forenames

Italian birth records may distinguish between forenames separated by commas and names recorded together without commas. Official documents may not always display every additional forename in exactly the same way.

For example, the following versions may require review:

• MARIA, GRAZIA ROSSI;
• MARIA GRAZIA ROSSI;
• MARIA ROSSI;
• a passport showing one forename while the birth certificate shows several.

The verifier should compare the complete document set rather than relying on one field alone.

Apostrophes, Spaces and Diacritics

Italian surnames may contain:

• apostrophes, such as D’ANGELO;
• spaces, such as DE LUCA;
• compound surnames;
• accented letters; or
• different capitalisation.

The Companies House record should match the underlying identity documents as closely as possible. A minor formatting difference does not always mean that two records relate to different people, but the ACSP must understand and document the reason for the difference.

Before verification, check:

• the exact surname;
• every forename;
• any former or married surname;
• spaces and apostrophes;
• accents and punctuation;
• the date of birth; and
• the information on the Companies House register.

Companies House requires an ACSP to collect the applicant’s full name, former names, date of birth, current home address, previous 12 months of address history and email address.

Check Your Date of Birth Before Verification

Your date of birth must match the Companies House record.

Problems can arise where:

• someone enters the personal code incorrectly;
• Companies House holds the wrong date of birth;
• the ACSP submits incorrect personal information; or
• the identity documents and company record contain different details.

Companies House warns that an incorrect date of birth can prevent the personal code from connecting to a director or PSC role. Corrections may take time, so applicants should check the register before starting the process.

Correct any error before trying to connect the personal code to your role.

Same-Day Remote Verification by Video Call

Our Legal Consultant is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.

Through our partner solicitor, we can arrange remote Companies House identity verification by video call for Italian directors and PSCs.

Same-day verification and submission may be available where:

• we review and approve the documents in advance;
• the applicant provides all required personal information;
• the document combination meets the Companies House standard;
• the applicant has the original documents during the call;
• the verifier can validate the documents;
• the applicant appears clearly on camera;
• the Companies House information matches; and
• no unresolved identity or document concerns arise.

Same-day service covers the identity check and ACSP submission. Companies House controls the subsequent processing and delivery of the personal code.

How the Remote Verification Process Works

Step 1: Send Your Documents

Send clear images of the documents you want to use.

For a passport, send the complete biodata page.

For a CIE or driving licence, send both the front and reverse.

You must also provide:

• your full name;
• all former names;
• your date of birth;
• your current home address;
• your address history for the previous 12 months; and
• your personal email address.

Companies House requires ACSPs to collect this information.

Step 2: Confirm the Document Combination

We check whether each document falls within Group A or Group B.

The review may cover:

• the Italian passport model;
• the CIE version;
• whether the identity card contains a usable chip;
• whether the applicant only has a paper identity card;
• whether the driving licence uses the EU photocard format;
• the printed expiry date;
• the physical condition of each document;
• birth and married surnames;
• several forenames;
• apostrophes and accents;
• the current address; and
• the previous 12 months of address history.

Where the proposed documents do not meet the standard, we identify a stronger combination before the video call.

Step 3: Attend the Video Call

During the call, you must:

• appear clearly on camera;
• show the original documents;
• move the documents when requested;
• display their security features from different angles;
• confirm your personal information;
• complete a live facial comparison; and
• answer any necessary identity questions.

The verifier must confirm that you are a real person, the documents are genuine and the identity belongs to you. Companies House requires the verifier to see your face clearly during a remote check.

Step 4: Complete the ACSP Submission

After completing all checks, the ACSP submits the required verification information to Companies House.

The ACSP does not normally send the document copies to Companies House. However, it must retain the documents, supporting evidence and verification records for seven years.

Step 5: Receive Your Personal Code

Companies House sends the personal code to the email address supplied during the ACSP submission.

The code contains 11 characters. Keep it secure, but you may share it with a trusted solicitor, accountant or company administrator who needs to file on your behalf.

How Italian Directors Use the Personal Code

An existing director normally provides the code through the company’s next confirmation statement.

A new director must provide the code as part of the appointment filing. When forming a new company, the incorporation application must include a personal code for every proposed director.

You only need to verify your identity once. However, you must use the same code for each separate director appointment that you hold.

A company cannot complete its confirmation statement unless all its directors have verified their identities and supplied their personal codes.

How Italian PSCs Use the Personal Code

A PSC must connect the personal code separately to the PSC role.

This rule applies even where the same person has already used the code as a director.

The deadline depends on the circumstances:

• A person who acts as both director and PSC of the same company must normally provide the PSC code during the 14 days that begin on the day after the company’s confirmation statement date.
• A PSC who does not act as a director of the same company usually provides the code during the first 14 days of their birth month.
• A person who became a PSC after 18 November 2025 may provide the code when Companies House first records the PSC or within 14 days of being added.

The same code can cover several companies and roles. However, you must connect it separately to every relevant director and PSC position.

How Our Legal Consultant Can Help

Our Legal Consultant and partner solicitor can help Italian nationals by:

• reviewing Italian passports;
• checking Italian CIE cards;
• identifying current and earlier CIE models;
• advising on paper identity cards before and after 3 August 2026;
• checking Italian EU photocard driving licences;
• reviewing older Italian licence formats;
• matching document models against PRADO;
• confirming the correct Group A and Group B combination;
• reviewing Italian bank statements and address documents;
• checking birth, married and former surnames;
• identifying differences involving multiple forenames;
• reviewing apostrophes, spaces and accents;
• checking dates of birth and addresses;
• arranging a remote video call;
• completing the required ACSP checks;
• submitting the verification to Companies House; and
• helping the applicant progress towards receiving the personal code.

Ginkgo Advisory’s Role

Our Legal Consultant and partner solicitor provide the identity verification service.

Ginkgo Advisory supports the process through preliminary document review, client communication, document coordination, appointment arrangements and practical case handling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my Italian passport?

Yes. An Italian passport provides Group A photographic identity evidence.

A current biometric Italian passport may also work through the GOV.UK One Login app. The app does not accept an expired passport.

Can I use my Italian CIE?

Yes. A current CIE can provide strong Group A evidence.

Suitable validation technology may also accept the biometric CIE as the single identity document under Option 1.

Can I use my CIE in the GOV.UK One Login app?

The app does not currently list EU national identity cards as accepted documents.

However, the Post Office route accepts a national identity photocard issued by an EU country. The online service must first direct you to that route.

Can I use an older Italian CIE?

Possibly.

The card must remain valid and pass the required document checks. Italian authorities confirm that earlier CIE designs remain valid until their natural expiry dates.

Can I use a CIE marked “NON VALIDA PER L’ESPATRIO”?

The ACSP must review the exact card.

The wording means that the card cannot be used for foreign travel. It does not, by itself, prove that the document has no identity function. The card must still be current, genuine and capable of validation.

Can I use my paper Italian identity card?

Do not rely on it for a verification that will take place on or after 3 August 2026.

Italian law preserves only limited transitional uses for ordinary paper cards after that date. A CIE, passport or current photocard driving licence provides a safer Companies House route.

What if the printed expiry date on my paper card is after 3 August 2026?

The later printed date does not make the document a reliable Companies House identity document after the new legal cutoff.

Send the card for review, but prepare an alternative document set.

Can I use an emergency provisional Italian identity document?

Do not assume that it qualifies automatically.

Italian law allows municipalities to issue a provisional document for urgent cases, with validity of no more than six months. The exact model, validity and PRADO status must be checked before it can be considered for Companies House verification.

Can I use my Italian driving licence?

Yes. A valid Italian EU photocard driving licence can provide Group A evidence.

Send clear images of both sides before the appointment.

Can I use my Italian driving licence in the GOV.UK One Login app?

Not as the app’s driving-licence document.

The app currently accepts a UK photocard driving licence. However, the Post Office route accepts an EU photocard driving licence, and an ACSP can use an Italian EU licence under the Companies House standard.

Can I use an old paper Italian driving licence?

Possibly, but do not rely on it without a document review.

An old paper licence does not fall as clearly within the Companies House EU photocard category. The ACSP must check its exact PRADO model, current validity and security features.

Can I use my codice fiscale?

The codice fiscale alone is not one of the required Group A or Group B identity documents.

It is a tax identifier rather than a separate photographic identity document.

Can I use my tessera sanitaria?

Do not rely on an ordinary tessera sanitaria as one of the two required documents.

Companies House does not include it in the published Group A or Group B lists.

Can I verify my identity while living in Italy?

Yes.

An ACSP can complete the identity check remotely where the documents meet the Companies House standard and the video process allows the verifier to confirm the applicant’s identity.

Do I always need two documents?

You need two documents for a person-led remote or in-person Option 2 check.

One eligible document may be enough under Option 1 where suitable technology validates all required security features.

Can I use an Italian bank statement?

Potentially.

A bank statement falls within Group B. The document must be genuine, clear and capable of validation.

Does my CIE prove my address?

Do not rely on it as your only current address evidence.

The ACSP may request a bank statement, utility bill, mortgage statement or other document where the CIE does not confirm the current address and previous 12 months of address history.

Do Italian documents need an English translation?

Some supporting documents may need a translation.

A translation may help where important information appears only in Italian or where the verifier cannot fully understand the document. Passports, CIE cards and EU driving licences use several standardised fields, but bank, utility and civil-status documents may require further explanation.

Why does my Italian passport show my birth surname?

Italian women normally retain their birth surname on Italian passports and identity cards after marriage.

Provide a marriage certificate or other linking evidence if the Companies House register uses a married surname.

What if my Italian and UK documents show different surnames?

Send both document sets for review.

The verifier may need a marriage certificate, formal name-change evidence or a Certificato di Concordanza Anagrafica to connect the names.

Must I post my original Italian passport?

Usually not.

For an approved remote process, you send clear images in advance and show the original documents during the video call.

Can I use one personal code as both a director and PSC?

Yes.

However, you must connect the code separately to the director role and the PSC role.

Can you complete the verification on the same day?

Same-day verification and ACSP submission may be available where we approve the documents in advance and complete all checks without any unresolved issue.

Need Companies House Identity Verification for an Italian Director or PSC?

Italian nationals often have several suitable identity document options, including a biometric passport, CIE and EU photocard driving licence.

Some cases need extra care, especially where the applicant has:

• an Italian paper identity card approaching the 3 August 2026 cutoff;
• an older CIE;
• a CIE marked as not valid for expatriation;
• an older paper driving licence;
• a birth surname and married surname;
• several forenames;
• a surname containing an apostrophe or space;
• a recent address change; or
• details that do not match the Companies House register.

Our Legal Consultant and partner solicitor can review your documents, confirm the best route and arrange remote Companies House identity verification by video call.

Same-day verification and submission may be available where the applicant provides a complete and suitable document set.