How to verify your identity

As a customer, you can verify your identity using your Australian driver’s licence or passport in one of the following ways:

• Use the latest version of our app on your mobile device  and follow the prompts.
• Verify on your mobile device by scanning the QR code or entering  the unique token in your letter or email.
• Call the number listed in your letter or email, quoting your reference number.
• Email certified copies of your documents to the email address listed in your letter or email.
• Take your identification documents to your nearest NAB branch if:
  • You need to use alternative forms of identification. E.g., you don’t hold an Australian passport or driver’s licence (see ‘Identification documents’ below for acceptable documents).
  • You’re a minor or the parent/guardian of a minor (minors under the age of 14 cannot verify via QR code or the NAB app).
  • You don’t feel comfortable verifying your identity online or over the phone.

Identification documents

If you don’t have a valid driver’s licence or passport or a proof of age/identity card, then a combination of a primary non-photographic document and a secondary document is acceptable.

Primary non-photographic document:

• Birth certificate
• Citizenship certificate
• Pension, health care, or seniors card (Australian Government issued only)

Secondary document:

• Australia Taxation Office notice
• Financial benefits statements (e.g., childcare subsidy, Medicare benefit tax statement)
• Medicare card (cannot be expired)
• Australian Defence Force card (cannot be expired)
• Australia Firearms License (cannot be expired)
• Rates notice (must be less than 3 months old from the date of issue)
• Utility bill (must be less than 3 months old from the date of issue)

Certified copies

Where we ask for a certified copy, it must be a certified copy of the original document(s), certified within the last 4 months and the certifier must write the following on the copy:

• “This is a true copy of the original document(s) which I have sighted”
• Full name e.g., Michelle Helena Citizen
• Date of certification
• Signature
• The capacity in which they have certified the document (e.g., judge, magistrate, police officer, etc.)
• Affix the official stamp or seal of the certifier’s organisation (if applicable)

Please have the approved certifier scan the certified documents and email them to specialised.identityprotect@nab.com.au either: 

• Directly from the professional email address of the approved certifier ensuring they include your customer reference number from the top of this letter; or
• By forwarding the original email from the approved certifier to you, including your reference number from the top of this letter. Please ensure no changes are made to the original email. 

To meet our regulatory obligations, we’re unable to accept scanned copies of certified documents if we’re unable to confirm that they were originally sent from the certifier's professional email address (this includes if the original email is forwarded by you).

Certification can be done by any of the approved certifiers listed in the Certified ID Guide  (PDF, 157KB), opens in new window and must strictly adhere to the standards outlined in this document.

If you're unable to get your documents certified, you can bring your original documents into a branch. The branch will take a copy and forward them to the NAB Identity Protect team for review. Find your nearest branch.

Who needs to be verified

NAB needs to understand and confirm organisation ownership details and identify any individual who:

• is a Beneficial Owner
• is a Senior Managing Official
• is a signatory
• holds non-beneficially held (NBH) shares.

Who is a Beneficial Owner?

A Beneficial Owner (BO) is any person who, either directly or indirectly, controls 25% or more of an organisation, via shares or voting rights. If there is no BO then a Senior Managing Official will need to be nominated.

Who is a Senior Managing Official?

A Senior Managing Official (SMO) is an individual who makes or contributes to decisions impacting the entire or significant part of a company/organisation. Typically, a SMO holds a senior position within the organisation and can significantly influence its financial standing. Common organisational roles that may be a SMO include:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Director
• Partner
• Treasurer
• President
• Company Secretary

These positions carry responsibility and powers that align with the role of a SMO.

How to nominate a Senior Managing Official?

To nominate a Senior Managing official (SMO), a qualified role (see ‘Who is a Senior Managing Official?’) should complete a SMO Nomination Letter. This SMO Nomination Letter can be provided to the email address listed in our recent correspondence to you. To read full instructions on how to nominate a SMO, view the Senior Managing Official Nomination Letter (PDF, 74KB), opens in new window.

What are Non-Beneficially Held shares?

Non-Beneficially Held (NBH) shares are shares that are held and/or controlled on behalf of an individual or company. We’re required to verify details of the shareholding arrangement.

Required information for NBH shares

• A share certificate or nominee agreement which details on whose behalf the shares are being held, their address and date of birth.
• A trust deed, including any amending deeds or variations if shares are held on behalf of a trust, that shows the shareholder as a trustee.
• An attestation from a registered accountant or lawyer with details of the ownership structure and BO(s)S. View Attestation of Beneficial Ownership (PDF, 822KB), opens in new window, including detailed instruction for its return.

Additional requirements for customers with trusts

Providing your trust deed

Trust deeds are only needed on request, as we may already have a suitable copy of your trust deed on file.

To ensure your trust deed is complete and valid, please ensure the following:

• Proper execution (fully signed and dated).
• Any amendments or variations since the original deed, or a letter from a registered accountant/solicitor attesting to any subsequent changes, are provided.
• The trust deed contains the full legal names, residential addresses, and dates of birth for any individual trustees and/or
• The trust deed contains the registered addresses and Government Issued Identification Numbers for any corporate trustees i.e., Australian Company Number (ACN), Australian Business Registration Number (ABRN) or Australian Business Number (ABN).
• The ABN of the Trust (if applicable).

If you can’t find or access a valid copy of the trust deed

If you can’t find or access a valid copy of the trust deed, you may need to provide an attestation from a registered accountant or lawyer who has already seen sighted an original or certified copy of the trust deed, providing all the current details of the trust. This includes details about the trust’s beneficiaries, trustees, and the terms of the trust. The attestation ensures that all trust-related details are correctly represented and supports regulatory compliance by affirming the legitimacy of the trusts structure.

This letter from the accountant or lawyer doesn’t need to be certified itself, but it must include the details of the attesting accountant or lawyer and their firm. Details required include their role, accreditation (e.g., CPA or CA), registration number, address and contact details.

You can find a copy of the Attestation of Trust Details (PDF, 601KB), opens in new window, including detailed instruction for its return.

Providing your documents

You can provide your organisation’s documents and legal documents (e.g., trust deed, share certificate, other personal identification documents), to the NAB Identity Protect team via:

Mail

Email your documents to customer.identityprotect@nab.com.au.

If you need to submit certified documents, please ensure they’re sent directly from the certifier using on or the following methods, both of which must include a clear author trail. Please ensure the documents are certified by an authorised certifier within the last three months, Certified ID Guide (PDF, 157KB), opens in new window.

The certified documents can be emailed to us either:

• Directly from the professional email address of the Approved Certifier, make sure you include the customer reference number, and your contact details; or
• You can email them to the document owner, who can then forward your original certified email to NAB (email address above). No changes can be made to the original email.

For your security and to comply with regulations, we’re unable to accept certified documents sent via email unless we’re able to confirm that they were originally sent from the Approved Certifier's professional email address (this includes if the original email is forwarded by the document owner). This ensures your information is handled correctly and protects your privacy.

We may also need to contact the Approved Certifier to verify that they are an Approved Certifier, please provide a means by which we can contact them, if required.

Customer Due Diligence Forms don’t need to be certified.

In branch

If you are having trouble emailing your certified documents, you can provide your documents at your nearest nab branch by either:

• Bringing your original documents for us to take a copy; or
• Providing certified copies, making sure they meet all the requirements in the Certified ID Guide (PDF, 157KB), opens in new window.

How to complete your Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Self-Attestation form

Who can provide the required information and documents?

To meet our regulatory obligations, only the following roles can provide updated information for each of the following organisations:

• For companies: a director or company secretary
• For trusts: a trustee for a corporate trustee a director or company secretary, or executor
• For partnerships: a partner, or if the partner is an organisation, the authorised roles for that organisation type (e.g. for a company, a director or company secretary)
• For associations and registered cooperatives: an office bearer (chairperson or president, secretary, treasurer, or equivalent)
• For a sole trader: the individual sole trader
• For government bodies: a beneficial owner (if foreign government body), senior managing official, or office bearer or executive board member, including (but not limited to) CEO, chairperson or president, secretary, treasurer, or equivalent.

An authorised delegate or agent for an organisation can also provide updated information.

If you have a Banking Relationship Manager, they can work with you to help verify your identity.

If you have changed your full legal name or organisation details, your Banking Relationship Manager will need to help you gather the appropriate documentation needed to update your details.

As subsidiaries of our bank, these financial organisations are governed by the same anti-money laundering regulations as the parent company. Every bank is legally required to routinely verify that the customer information held is up to date. This process is managed by National Australia Bank (NAB) on behalf of its subsidiaries.

If you have been contacted by us to verify your details, this means that in our review, we’ve found that some information NAB holds for you or your organisation is not complete or does not match with publicly available information from government bodies such as ASIC, ATO or other government registers.

Please follow the instructions provided in our communication with you to verify your identity.

You can find more information by visiting your subsidiary company’s page below:

• Medfin identity protect, opens in new window
• Nabtrade identity protect, opens in new window
• Advantedge identity protect, opens in new window

Refer to your letter or email for a phone number you can call us on from overseas. If personal verification is required, only the person it is addressed to can complete identification.

We offer interpreter services to ensure clear communication and support. For more information, visit Interpreter services for customers with limited English or ask our staff for assistance. 

If the information requiring verification relates to an organisation, and the authorised agent is a director or company secretary, they can provide this information directly to us. Otherwise, they’ll need to give us a letter of written authorisation from you that evidences your consent for the third party to provide information on your behalf. The letter should include:

• full name of the agent acting on the customer’s behalf.
• date of birth or residential address of the agent acting on the customer’s behalf (where available).
• evidence of the written authorisation of the agent to act on behalf of the customer (signed by the customer).

Please refer to the identity verification for business customers section for specific verification requirements.

How to certify your documents whilst overseas

Certified copies of documents which aren’t in English must be accompanied by an English translation prepared by an accredited translator and certified by an approved certifier within the last 4 months.

If you're overseas, you can get your documents certified by:

• An employee of ATIC (Australian Trade and Investment Commission) or an employee of the Commonwealth (e.g., Australian consular officer or Australian diplomatic officer) who has the requisite authority under section 3(c) or (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955.
• A person authorised as a notary public in a foreign country. 
• A bank or building society officer or a finance company officer with 2 or more continuous years of service (includes acceptable internal banks). 
• A person who is authorised by law in that foreign country to administer oaths or affirmations, or to authenticate documents.

If you want to arrange to have documents certified by one of the approved certifiers, please refer to the Certified ID Guide (PDF, 157KB), opens in new window and follow the instructions on information which the certifier needs to include.

Overseas NAB branches are unable to certify identification documents.

How to send us your certified documents

Certified documents should be emailed directly to NAB Identity Protect to the email address contained in your letter or email.

We must receive your certified identification document from the certifier via one of two options, each of which includes a clear author trail:

• Have the certifier email us directly from their professional email address with the certified, digital copy of your original document, your name and customer reference number; or
• Have the certifier email you, and you can forward the certifier’s email to us with your customer reference number.

For your security and to comply with regulations, we’re unable to accept certified documents sent via email unless we’re able to confirm that they were originally sent from the Approved Certifier's professional email address (this includes if the original email is forwarded by the document owner). This ensures your information is handled correctly and protects your privacy.

Also learn more about why we collect foreign tax residency information.

We’re committed to taking extra care with customers who are experiencing vulnerability. We may only become aware of your circumstances if you tell us about them.

If you’re experiencing an unplanned life event or vulnerability that impacts your ability to complete your re-verification, or you need an interpreter, contact our NAB Assist Customer Support hub on +1300 308 175. 

A signatory is a person who is either the account owner, or a person authorised by the account owner to use, manage and/or control the account. All signatories on the account must re-verify their identity. If you’re the account owner, you can make changes to the signatories by:

• contacting your Banking Relationship Manager.
• visiting your local NAB branch.

If you’re overseas or unable to attend a branch, please call us on:

• Personal customers: 13 22 65 (overseas +61 3 8641 9083) Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 7:00pm (AEST/AEDT), Saturday to Sunday, 9:00am to 6:00pm (AEST/AEDT)  for further assistance.
• Business customers: 13 10 12 (overseas +61 3 8641 9083) Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm and Saturday to Sunday 9.00am to 6.00pm (AEST/AEDT) for further assistance.