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Documents you need to verify your identity.

Read time 5 min
Whether you’re applying for a home loan or opening a new account, this is where you’ll find what identification documents you need.

Home loan application

There are different ways you can have your identity verified for your home loan application.

Digital verification

You may be able to confirm your identity using digital verification (biometric ID). It's simple and secure. You'll need to take a selfie and a photo of your ID document using your mobile phone to get verified online.

Required ID (one of the following)

  • Australian driver’s licence – your driver’s licence must be current and can’t be a digital version of a driver’s licence or learner’s permit
  • Passport (all countries) – foreign passports must be current. Australian passports must be current or expired within the last two years.

Australia Post

If you prefer to confirm your identity in person, you can visit a participating Australia Post outlet. Use the locator to find your nearest participating outlet and bring your original ID documents and the Mortgagor Identity Verification Form (PDF).

Check the Mortgagor Identity Verification Form to see what ID documents you’ll need to provide.

Other account applications

There are different ways you can verify your identity prior to opening an account.

Electronic ID

Our electronic ID check is available through the application process when you apply for an account online.

Required ID (at least two of the following)

  • Australian driver’s licence – you’ll need to include the state of issue, licence number, expiry date and card number for licences issued in NSW, ACT, SA, TAS, NT or WA
  • Medicare card – you’ll need to provide the Medicare number (ten digit number on top of your card), individual card reference number (this is the one digit number to the left of your name), your name as it appears on your card, card colour, and the card’s valid date
  • Passport (all countries) – you’ll need to provide some or all of the following, country of issue, passport number, expiry date, place of birth as stated on your passport, country of birth, family name at birth (Australian passports only), family name at citizenship (if you’re using an Australian passport but you were born overseas).

Australia Post

If you prefer to confirm your identity in person, you can visit a participating Australia Post outlet. Bring sufficient original ID documents and the relevant identity verification form from the following list:

Check the relevant form to see what ID documents you’ll need to provide.

Re-identification

There may be times when your identity will need to be reverified, such as when it is required to meet our regulatory obligations.

Know Your Customer (KYC)

You might receive a call from our Know Your Customer (KYC) Collect team to verify your identity, check your tax residency, or ask you to visit a participating Australia Post outlet with your ID. This is to meet our regulatory obligations.

We know it can be uncomfortable to give your personal details over the phone, so you can call us on the number below to check the call you’ve received is from Bankwest, and to verify your details.

Remember, we will never ask you to transfer funds or reveal your passwords or log in details. We will never include a link to login directly from an email or SMS or ask you to share your screen.

To contact our KYC Collect team, please call us on:

1300 380 679 (in Australia)
+61 1300 380 679 (from overseas).

The team is available from 9am – 5pm AWST, Monday to Friday.

Data improvements

Our Data Improvements team may get in touch to verify your idenity, check your tax residency, or ask you to visit a participating Australia Post outlet with your ID. If you would like to verify the call, you can contact our Data Improvements team on the following number:

1300 001 036 (in Australia)
+61 8 9369 3455 (from overseas).

The team is available from 9am – 5pm AWST, Monday to Friday.

Common questions

An English translation from an accredited translator (NAATI translation) is required.

If you’re signing and executing documents outside of Australia, you’ll need to have your identity verified.​ Complete the relevant form and bring your ID documents to an Australian Embassy or Consulate.

All states and territories except Western Australia and Queensland​

Identity/Witnessing Certification (PDF), witnessed by a notary public, competent officer, Australian or New Zealand lawyer. Note that this form is available for mortgages in all states except Western Australia and Queensland.

Queensland​

Queensland Titles Registry Identity/Witnessing Certification (PDF), witnessed by a notary public, competent officer, Australian or New Zealand lawyer.​

Western Australia​

Australian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate Identity and Witnessing Certificate (PDF) – note that this is the only verification of ID method available to Western Australian mortgages signed overseas.

For more information, refer to the Instructions to complete Overseas Document Witnessing and Verification of Identity Requirements (PDF).

We may accept alternative documents from remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, refugees or people who've recently been released from an Australian Correctional Centre. Call us on 13 17 19 to find out what you can bring with you.

Prior to providing you with a designated service, we have a regulatory obligation to verify your identity. Some instances where we may need to confirm your identity include:

  • When you’re opening a new account
  • When you’re becoming a signatory to an existing account
  • When we take out a Mortgage as security for your loan. This is called Mortgagor Identity Verification
  • When you are reclaiming funds from an inactive account which has been closed
  • When reclaiming funds from ASIC for a closed inactive account.