The Australian Registrars National Electronic Conveyancing Council’s draft version 6 of its Model Participation Rules in the electronic conveyancing system proposes to make its Verification of Identity Standard compulsory for mortgages, variations of mortgages and transfer of mortgages, subject to limited exemptions.

Currently the VOI Standard is an optional “safe harbour” and not compulsory if another approach constitutes reasonable steps for Verification of Identity.

The change will mean that a mortgagee must apply the Verification of Identity Standard unless reasonably satisfied that the Verification of Identity Standard cannot be applied, in which case they can verify the identity of a Person in some other way that constitutes the taking of reasonable steps.

The Standard is set out in Schedule 8.

The verification of identity must be conducted during a face-to-face in-person interview between the Identity Verifier and the Person Being Identified.

Where Documents containing photographs are produced by the Person Being Identified, the Identity Verifier must be satisfied that the Person Being Identified is a reasonable likeness (for example the shape of his or her mouth, nose, eyes and the position of his or her cheek bones) to the Person depicted in those photographs.

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