> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.1kosmos.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.1kosmos.com/identity-verification/verification-methods.md).

# Verification Methods

***

#### Verification methods

A verification flow is built from one or more **methods**. Each method answers a specific question about the user.

| Method                                                                                                | Question it answers                                                                        | Friction       |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------- |
| [Document verification](/identity-verification/verification-methods/document-verification.md)         | Is the document the user submitted real, current, and unmodified?                          | Low–Medium     |
| [Biometric & liveness](/identity-verification/verification-methods/biometric-and-liveness.md)         | Is the person holding the document the same person pictured on it — and present right now? | Medium         |
| [Database verification](/identity-verification/verification-methods/database-verification.md)         | Do authoritative sources (AAMVA, SSA) corroborate the submitted data?                      | None (passive) |
| [SSN verification](/identity-verification/non-doc-verification/ssn-verification.md)                   | Is the SSN provided real, and does it belong to the verified user?                         | Low            |
| [Notarized document bypass](/identity-verification/verification-methods/notarized-document-bypass.md) | Has this user already been verified by a trusted notary or partner?                        | None           |
| [Web-to-mobile handoff](/identity-verification/verification-methods/web-to-mobile-handoff.md)         | Can the user finish capture on a phone after starting on desktop?                          | Low            |

#### Picking a combination

Higher friction generally means higher assurance. The right combination depends on what you're protecting.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Low risk — newsletter, free tier" %}
**Email verification only** (no IDV).

No need for document verification. Save the user the friction.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Medium risk — paid SaaS" %}
**Document verification** + **biometric & liveness**.

Bind a real person to a real ID. Adequate for most B2C consumer apps and SaaS sign-ups.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="High risk — banking, healthcare" %}
**Document** + **biometric & liveness** + **database** + **SSN**.

Document scan with face-match, AAMVA lookup against the issuing DMV, and SSN check. Equivalent to NIST IAL2.

[Run a Kantara IAL2 flow →](/identity-verification/ial2-verification/create-and-manage-ial2-verification.md)
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Very high risk — federal, classified" %}
**Two STRONG documents** + **biometric & liveness** + **database** + **SSN** + **in-person or supervised remote**.

Required for IAL3. Often combined with an in-person notary step, which 1Kosmos accommodates via [notarized document bypass](/identity-verification/verification-methods/notarized-document-bypass.md).
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### What happens at runtime

When a session runs against a flow, each configured method becomes a step in the user's UI *and* a check on the server. The user-facing order is fixed (document → selfie → optional SSN entry), but the server-side checks run in parallel where possible.

A failure in any **required** method fails the overall session. A failure in an **advisory** method (e.g. AAMVA where the upstream is unreachable) is downgraded to `not_performed` and doesn't block the result, unless your flow's strictness explicitly requires it.


---

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