External ID Validation Questions:
ID1. What is an External ID Validation check and when can it be requested?
An External ID Validation check is required if your DBS applicant cannot provide sufficient ID to verify their identity via Route 1 of the DBS ID validation procedure.
An External ID Validation check is required to complete Route 2 of the DBS ID Validation procedure. Please refer to the list of DBS Acceptable ID documents for further information regarding Route 1 and Route 2 of the DBS ID Validation procedure.
An External ID Validation check validates the names, addresses and date of birth details (the identity) of a DBS Applicant. This check complies with a ‘Medium confidence’ check (previously known as ‘identity level 2’) – as detailed in the Good Practice Guide (GPG) 45.
Having "Medium confidence" in the person’s identity will lower the risk of you:
- accepting synthetic identities
- accepting impostors who are not close friends or family of the identity they’re pretending to be
- accepting impostors who do not look like the identity they’re pretending to be
Medium confidence also provides some protection against accepting impostors who are close friends or family of the identity they’re pretending to be.
ID2. Who can obtain an External ID Validation check through Mayflower Disclosure Services Ltd?
Our External ID Validation check service is be available to:
- Existing account holders
- Other DBS Registered Bodies
- Any employer or recruiting Organisationthat is eligible to obtain this check.
ID3. Can an individual DBS applicant request an External ID Validation check?
No, a candidate cannot request an External ID check.
Requests must come from a nominated Application Manager / ID Requester who is set-up on your account.
Please note, an External ID validation check is not a stand-alone check. It forms part of the Route 2 ID validation check for DBS ID validation and should only be requested if a candidate cannot provide you with the ID documents to validate their ID via Route 1 (see attached list of Acceptable ID).
ID4. How muchdoes an External ID Validation Check cost?
ID5. Who will pay for an External ID Validation check?
The employer (organisation registered as a customer/account holder with Mayflower) will be required to pay for an external ID validation check, if it is required.
The cost of an external ID validation check is in addition to the DBS processing cost.
ID6. When is payment for an External ID Validation check required?
Payment is due when a request is submitted to Mayflower (unless a credit agreement has been arranged). Payment methods accepted are PayPal or debit/credit card.
ID8. How long does it take to process an External ID Validation Check?
An External ID Check will normally be completed within 24 hours of receiving your request (excluding weekends & public holidays).
ID9. Do I need to obtain consent from the applicant to carry out an External ID Validation check?
Yes, you will need the explicit consent from the applicant to obtain an External ID Validation Check on them. We recommend this is obtained in writing. You may wish to use this sample consent form.
ID10. Can you process an External ID Validation Check for Under 18 Year Olds?
Unfortunately, we are unable to carry out an ID search on anyone under the age of 18. This is because under the age of 18 there is insufficient "footprint history" of that person, i.e. they will not appear on any major data bases such as voting register, share holders etc.
Applicants who are under 18 years old will automatically fail Route 2 of the ID Checking procedure. If an applicant is under 18 years old and does not have the ID documents to go through Route 1, your next step is route 3. Please refer to the DBS List of Acceptable ID.
ID11. Can you process an External ID Validation Check if the applicant does not live in the UK?
Unfortunately, we are unable to carry out an External ID Validation check for applicants who do not live in the UK.
Non-UK residents will automatically fail Route 2 of the ID Checking procedure.
If an applicant is not a UK resident and does not have the ID documents to go through Route 1, your next step is route 3. Please refer to the DBS List of Acceptable ID.
ID12. How do I request an external ID validation check?
-Not a Customer or Account Holder?:
New Customer? Create an account to use our services. It is FREE & under NO OBLIGATION.
We will then send you instructions.
-Existing Customers / Account Holders:
Please contact us and we will send you instructions.
ID13. What will I receive as a result of carrying out an External ID Validation check
You will be issued with a PDF reportthat will either:
- Confirm the identity of the applicant (Pass)
- Not confirm the identity of the applicant (Fail)
ID14. Can I view a Sample External ID Validation Result?
Yes, Click the button below to view or download a sample External ID Validation report:
ID15. What should I do with the Result??
If the result is a "Pass" you can continue complete the DBS ID verification via Route 2. You still need to verify a number of ID documents. Please refer to this DBS list of Acceptable ID which details what ID documents you need to see for each Route.
If the result is a "Fail", the next stage in the DBS ID Checking process is Route 3 (see the DBS list of Acceptable ID).
Your options will be as follows:
- Route 3: If they were born in the UK, they can provide a certified copy of a UK birth certificate plus 4 further ID documents (if you use our online DBS application system you can still then submit their online DBS application by selecting "Route 3" in the ID check section); or....
- Route 1: You ask the applicant to apply for a UK Provisional Driving Licence or a new Passport so you can verify their ID via Route 1.
- Fingerprint Route: The applicant consents to their finger-prints being taken. The Fingerprint Route DBS applications cannot be submitted online; they must be submitted using an official paper DBS application form. If you process DBS applications through Mayflower you will need to withdraw his/her online application and contact us to ask us to post you a paper DBS application form. Non-DBS Customers: please contact the DBS for assistance. Please Note: We do not recommend the Fingerprint Route and suggest you avoid it; this option should be used as a last resort. Fingerprint Route DBS applications take much longer to process than the normal DBS processing time-frames.
ID16. Why was the result a Fail?
The criteria checked in an External ID Check is set out by the Government.
Unfortunately we do not have access to the specific reasons why an External ID validation result is a Fail, and we cannot provide reasons why a result is a fail.
We also cannot advise which candidates are likely to pass or fail.
The DBS stipulate which ID must be seen in order to verify an applicant's ID for DBS purposes.
Information specifically on the External ID Validation Check is available on the DBS website, which will hopefully assist you.
ID17. How long should we keep the ‘Pass/Fail’ response from the ID validation check?
This should be stored in line with each organisation's own data protection policies and the Data Protection Act.
