Identity & Address Verification in Sri Lanka
Identity and address verification forms the foundation of any background check. We authenticate government-issued identification documents and confirm residential addresses to establish a candidate's true identity.
What Is Identity & Address Verification?
Identity verification confirms that a candidate is who they claim to be by authenticating government-issued identification documents such as National Identity Cards (NICs), passports, driving licenses, and birth certificates. Address verification confirms current and past residential addresses through document checks and, where necessary, physical field visits.
In Sri Lanka, identity fraud can range from using another person's NIC to providing false address information. Our verification process uses multiple data sources and cross-referencing techniques to detect and flag such discrepancies.
What We Verify
Sri Lankan Identity Documents
National Identity Card (NIC)
Issued by the Department for Registration of Persons. Older cards carry a 9-digit number followed by a letter (usually V or X); cards issued from 1 January 2016 carry a 12-digit number. Both formats encode the holder's year and day of birth, which lets us test the number against the candidate's stated date of birth.
Passport
Checked for validity, consistency with the NIC, and name changes. Where names differ between documents, we ask for the supporting record, such as a marriage certificate or affidavit.
Driving licence
Issued by the Department of Motor Traffic and especially relevant for roles that involve driving company vehicles.
Grama Niladhari certificate
A character and residence certificate from the Grama Niladhari of the candidate's division. It supports address verification but does not replace a check of police or court records.
Why Identity Verification Matters
Identity verification is the foundation of the entire background check process. If a candidate's identity cannot be confirmed, no other verification — employment, education, or criminal — can be considered reliable. Establishing a candidate's true identity protects your organization from fraud, impersonation, and the legal complications that arise from hiring someone under a false identity.
Address verification matters most for roles with access to cash, stock, customer homes or sensitive data, where knowing where an employee actually lives is part of managing risk. It is also the check that makes a criminal record check meaningful, because records are searched against a confirmed identity and residence history.
Our Verification Process
Consent & Document Collection
Candidates give written consent and submit copies of government-issued IDs and address proof through our secure portal.
Document Authentication
Our analysts check each document's format, security features and internal consistency, including the NIC number against the date of birth.
Address Verification
Current and previous addresses are verified through documents and, where the role requires it, an island-wide field visit.
Cross-Referencing
All identity data is cross-referenced across every document in the case to detect inconsistencies.
Report Integration
Verified identity and address data is compiled into the comprehensive BGV report.
Identity & Address Verification FAQs
How do you check that a Sri Lankan NIC is genuine?
We inspect the card's format and security features and check that the NIC number is consistent with the details on it. Sri Lankan NIC numbers encode the holder's year and day of birth in both the older 9-digit-plus-letter format and the 12-digit format used since 2016, so a number that does not match the stated date of birth is an immediate flag. We then cross-reference the identity across the passport, certificates and other documents in the case.
Do you physically visit the candidate's address?
Where the role requires it, yes. Field visits are carried out island-wide to confirm that the candidate lives at the stated address and for how long. For other roles, we verify the address through documents such as utility bills, bank statements and a Grama Niladhari certificate.
What documents are accepted as proof of address?
Commonly a recent utility bill, a bank statement, a lease or deed, or a Grama Niladhari character and residence certificate. Documents in a family member's name are acceptable when the relationship is explained, which is common in Sri Lanka where many candidates live in the family home.
How long does identity and address verification take?
Typically 2 to 4 working days, with field visits scheduled within that window. It runs alongside the other checks, so the full background verification report is delivered within 7 working days.
Identity and address verification is part of our background verification services in Sri Lanka, combined with employment, education and criminal checks in one report within 7 working days.
Talk to Our TeamRelated Guides
Other Verification Services
Employment Verification
Confirm past job titles, dates and reasons for leaving
Education Verification
Validate degrees, diplomas and exam certificates
Criminal Record Check
Police and court record screening
Reference Checks
Structured feedback from former supervisors
Sanction & Watchlist Screening
International sanctions, watchlists and PEP lists
Drug Testing
Certified laboratory testing with chain of custody
Credit History Check
CRIB credit reports for finance-sensitive roles
Professional Licence Verification
Registration with professional and regulatory bodies
Get a Custom BGV Quote
Every organization has unique verification needs. Tell us about your requirements and our team will provide a tailored background verification package designed for your industry and scale.
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