---
title: "Can the customer skip selfies for a \"low risk\" individual?"
description: "Can the customer skip selfies for a \"low risk\" individual - Remote VOI always requires the selfie / liveness step - that's where the residual identity-fraud risk."
---

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# Can the customer skip selfies for a "low risk" individual?

## Only for in-person VOI where the customer is physically present and staff witness the document capture.

Remote VOI always requires the selfie / liveness step - that's where the residual identity-fraud risk sits, and AUSTRAC's reliable-and-independent-source standard expects biometric verification for remote channels.

**The two paths:**

- **VOI mode:** **In-person** (staff present); **Selfie / liveness:** Optional; **Why:** Staff are witnessing the customer; biometric proof of liveness is redundant
- **VOI mode:** **Remote** (link to customer's phone); **Selfie / liveness:** Required; **Why:** Without staff witness, biometrics is the only proof the customer is the live person whose ID was captured

**For in-person VOI**, what staff still need to do regardless of the selfie being skipped:

- **Capture the original ID document image** (still required for the audit record - the platform stores it).
- **Run PEPs, sanctions and adverse-media screening** - this is electronic regardless of capture mode and isn't optional.
- **Record the in-person verification** with the witnessing staff member's name and time.

**Why even "low risk" remote customers need the selfie.** AUSTRAC's risk-based approach permits firms to vary the **depth** of CDD by customer risk - but liveness isn't about depth, it's about confirming the document presented matches the live person. A document captured remotely without liveness could have been provided by anyone with access to the customer's ID. The selfie + liveness step prevents that failure mode regardless of customer risk.

**Other AUSTRAC-acceptable variations** for low-risk customers (real estate sales agents, low-value transactions, very long-standing clients): simpler ECDD evidence requirements, less frequent re-screening (annually vs 6-monthly / quarterly), reduced source-of-funds depth. None of these touch the basic identity verification step - they sit on top of it.

See AUSTRAC's [Overview of initial customer due diligence](https://www.austrac.gov.au/industry-and-business/obligations-and-guidance/your-amlctf-program/customer-due-diligence/initial-customer-due-diligence/overview-initial-customer-due-diligence) page.

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