A proof of address is one document showing the recipient's full legal name and their address on the same page, issued within the last three months. Verification asks every recipient for one, and it cannot be skipped.
The most common mistake: "last three months" describes how recent the document has to be, not how many documents to send. One bank statement from last month is enough. Recipients routinely gather three months of statements and upload all of them, which is far more work than this step asks for.
1. What counts as a proof of address
Any one of these, as long as the recipient's name and address are both readable on it:
| Type | What qualifies | Age limit |
|---|---|---|
| ID document | A valid ID that carries address details | None, must be valid |
| Bank documents | Bank letter, bank statement, mortgage payment or passbook | Last 3 months |
| Utility bills | Water, electricity, gas, home phone, internet or TV, any utility provider | Last 3 months |
| Government-issued | Letter or notification from a government agency, certificate of voter registration, tax assessment, temporary registration sheet, affidavit, vehicle registration certificate | Last 3 months |
| Mobile operator | Statements and bills for mobile communications | Last 3 months |
| Other | Rent bill from a real estate agency, a letter from the employer confirming the address, home purchase deed | Last 3 months |
The list is wider than most people assume. A recipient with no utility bill in their own name usually still has a mobile bill, a rent bill or a government letter that qualifies.
2. What is never accepted
- Screenshots. Upload the document itself. A photo of a screen, or a capture from a banking app, is rejected regardless of what it shows.
- Receipts for purchases. A retail receipt or purchase invoice never counts.
- Medical bills.
Note: An address outside the EU is fine in itself. What matters is the recipient's country, which you can check against the supported countries list.
3. Why a document gets rejected
- No address on the document. It shows the recipient's name but no address. This is the most common reason by a wide margin.
- Out of date. Older than three months, for every type except a valid ID.
- A different name. The document belongs to someone other than the recipient.
- A screenshot rather than the document itself.
4. Upload a replacement
If a document was rejected, send a different one rather than resubmitting the same file:
- Ask the recipient to open their verification link again.
- Have them upload one document from the table above that shows their full name and their address together.
- Check the whole page is captured, not a cropped section that leaves the address out.
If a document that clearly meets the table is still rejected, contact support with the recipient's name and what was uploaded.
Next: Once verification passes, the recipient's account details are issued. EUR IBAN or USD SWIFT →