As a regulated payment institution, Yoco is legally required to maintain accurate and up-to-date records on your profile. If your profile needs to be updated, we’ll reach out to you via email and in-app messaging.
❗ Important: This profile update is mandatory. Please complete it within 21 days of being notified. If you miss the deadline, your profile will be disabled and you’ll be unable to transact with Yoco. You will, however, be able to access your profile and reports. Your profile will be reactivated as soon as it has been updated.
Please note: Only an active member can update the Yoco profile.
To update your profile as a Trust, you’ll be asked to complete some (or all) of the following tasks in the Yoco App (mobile or web):
South African citizens: If you don't get a successful selfie result with your ID number, you’ll need to take a live photo of your original green ID book, smart ID card or valid barcoded passport.
International citizens: You’ll need to take a live photo of your original passport and confirm your identity with a liveness check. You’ll also also need to photograph your valid work permit/visa.
(Please note: Drivers' licences, scanned copies, and PDFs will not be accepted.)
To get started, select the Update your profile tile/widget from the Hub tab in the Yoco App (mobile or web).
1. Confirm your business type
From the Update your profile tile/widget, select the Review Business Type button.
If the business type displayed on the pop-up screen is correct, select the Confirm button to complete this task. If the business type displayed on the pop-up screen is incorrect, select the Change button and follow the steps below.
Choose the correct business type from the list provided, then select the Continue button.
If you’re updating your Trust to another business type, you'll need to complete a transfer of ownership. Please contact Yoco Support via our in-app chat and a consultant will guide you through the process.
2. Verify your identity
From the Update your profile tile/widget, select the Verify identity button.
Follow the identity verification steps here, based on the type of ID you have. OR, if you’ve recently completed the ID verification process with Yoco, continue with the next step.
If your correct ID number is showing on your screen, select the Confirm button. If the ID number on your screen is incorrect, select the Wrong ID number link.
Select the Request change button to update your ID number, and a Yoco consultant will reach out and guide you through the next steps.
Select the Continue button to move on to the next task.
Verification: South African citizens
Verification: South African citizens
If you have a 13-digit South African ID number or hold a South African ID card, green barcoded ID book, or a South African Passport, follow the steps below.
Select the Verify your identity button, then select the I am the owner button to confirm that you are the business owner.
Enter your ID number and we’ll verify it within seconds with the Department of Home Affairs. No documents needed.
If the details displayed are correct, select Yes to continue.
Once you’ve confirmed your identity details, select the Scan my face button and we’ll take a live selfie that we’ll match to your photo on the Home Affairs database.
✨ Please note: To increase the chances of your scan being successful, we recommend that you scan your face on your mobile phone. If you're using the Yoco Web App, select the Continue on phone button to scan a QR code and switch to your mobile.
If camera access is required, a permissions box will appear on your screen. Select the Allow while visiting the site or Allow this time button to continue the process and take your selfie.
Follow the on-screen instructions carefully and read the tips below to ensure success. Keep your face fully visible and centred within the oval throughout the process.
📸 Tips for a successful selfie
Centre your face so that it fills most of the on-screen oval.
Move closer if prompted, until your face fits inside the oval.
Look straight ahead into the camera, keeping your eyes level.
Keep your expression neutral – don't smile, frown, etc.
Make sure your face is well lit – avoid shadows and bright backlighting.
Remove glasses, hats, and anything else that may block your face.
Keep still and stay within the oval until the scan is complete.
As soon as your profile has been verified, a success message will appear and you can continue on to the next step.
👎 Using your SA ID number and struggling with face verification?
👎 Using your SA ID number and struggling with face verification?
If you don't get a successful selfie result with your South African ID number, you’ll need to take a live photo of your ID document.
Choose the 'All countries except USA' option for your country of residence from the two options provided.
Confirm that you’ve read and understood the Privacy Notice and the Notification on the Processing of Personal Data, and give your consent to proceed by ticking the box and selecting the Continue button.
Select South Africa as the issuing country, then select the type of ID document you'll be uploading from the list provided. Yoco only accepts these ID documents:
South African passport
South African identity card
Green barcoded ID booklet
❗ Important: You must use your ID document when completing this step. You'll be asked to take a selfie in the next step, which must match the ID document you've just uploaded. If it doesn't, your identity check will be unsuccessful.
If camera access is required, a permissions box will appear on your screen. Select the Allow while visiting the site or Allow this time button to continue the process and upload your identity document.
Follow the on-screen instructions to frame your original ID document. When your passport is correctly positioned, select the round white camera button to photograph it.
Follow the on-screen prompts and the green indicator to complete the face scan for your liveness check.
Once you’ve completed your liveness check, we'll compare it against the ID document you photographed. If the match is successful, your identity check is complete. This process will only take a few seconds.
👨 Tips for the liveness check
Centre your face so that it fills most of the on-screen circle.
Move your head slowly until all the lines around the circle turn green.
Look straight into the camera, keeping your eyes level.
Keep your expression neutral – don't smile, frown, etc.
Make sure your face is well lit – avoid shadows and bright backlighting.
Remove glasses, hats, and anything else that may block your face.
Keep still and stay within the oval until the scan is complete.
Verification: International citizens
Verification: International citizens
Before you start this process, make sure that you have the following ready:
Passport
You'll need to show the biodata page.
Work visa
This must be issued by the Department of Home Affairs and must clearly state that you're entitled to conduct work, business, or employment in South Africa.
❗Important: Both documents must be valid (not expired) – we will verify this. If your visa has been extended, you can upload your old visa with proof of extension.
Select the Verify your identity button.
Choose the I don’t have a South African ID link.
Read the on-screen instructions carefully, then select the Continue button.
Confirm that you’ve read and understood the Privacy Notice and the Notification on the Processing of Personal Data, and give your consent to proceed by ticking the box and selecting the Continue button.
Choose the country where your identity document was issued, and select the Continue button.
✨ Using the Yoco Web App? Select the Continue on phone button to scan a QR code and switch to your mobile.
Open up your passport to the biodata page (the page with your photo and barcode), and flip it horizontally to fill the frame as shown. When your passport is correctly positioned, select the round white camera button to photograph it.
❗Important: We only accept valid (not expired) passports issued by your government. You must use your passport when completing this step.
Follow the on-screen prompts and the green indicator to complete the face scan for your liveness check.
Once you’ve completed your liveness check, we'll compare it against the ID document you photographed. If the match is successful, your identity check is complete. This process will only take a few seconds.
👨 Tips for the liveness check
Centre your face so that it fills most of the on-screen circle.
Move your head slowly until all the lines around the circle turn green.
Look straight into the camera, keeping your eyes level.
Keep your expression neutral – don't smile, frown, etc.
Make sure your face is well lit – avoid shadows and bright backlighting.
Remove glasses, hats, masks, and anything else that may block your face.
Keep still and stay within the oval until the scan is complete.
✨ We recommend completing your live selfie on your phone, as it typically has a higher success rate. To switch to your mobile, select the Continue on phone button.
Select the Upload work permit button.
Upload your work permit/visa. Before you select the Continue button, make sure that it meets these requirements (if it doesn't, it won't be accepted for verification purposes):
It's valid (not expired).
It's in your name.
It's issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
It clearly states that you are permitted to conduct work, business, or employment in South Africa.
Once you've uploaded your work permit/visa, we'll review it and let you know if your identity has been verified. This usually takes 1–2 working days.
✍️ Work permit/visa FAQs
What qualifies as a valid work permit/visa? Only permits/visas officially issued by South Africa's Department of Home Affairs will be accepted. Your permit/visa must clearly state that you are permitted to conduct work, employment, or business in South Africa. Without this specific permission, we won’t be able to process your payments through Yoco.
What is not considered a valid work permit/visa? Entry, exit, and visitor stamps in your passport do not qualify as a valid work permit/visa.
The work permit/visa in my passport is expired. What should I do? We cannot accept an expired work permit/visa for verification. However, if you’re in the process of renewing your permit/visa, you can submit your expired permit/visa and your renewal application slip and we'll move forward with your application while your renewal is in progress.
My passport has expired, but my work permit/visa is still valid. What should I do? If your passport has expired, but it contains a valid work permit/visa, you can still upload the permit/visa.
Does the work permit/visa need to be in my name? Yes, the work permit/visa must be in your name. We'll validate the details on the permit/visa and compare them with the details you've provided – if the information doesn't match, you won't be able to complete this step.
Verification: Asylum seekers and refugees
Verification: Asylum seekers and refugees
Send the Yoco Support Team one of the following valid documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs:
Asylum Seeker Temporary Permit
Formal Recognition of Refugee Status
Red Refugee Book
Email your document to [email protected], or click here to find out how you can contact the Yoco Support Team.
3. Confirm trading address
From the Update your profile tile/widget, select the Review trading address button.
If your trading address is still the same as the one provided, select it from the list provided. If your trading address has changed, select the X in the Business trading address field and enter your new address.
Enter any additional address information, e.g. unit number, building name or number, floor etc.
4. Verify stakeholders
The final step in updating your Yoco profile is verifying the identities of the key individuals who hold control or authority over the Trust. As the person who signed up with Yoco, you'll need to enter your role first, before you can add the other members of the committee.
Stakeholder verification
Stakeholder verification
If you signed up with Yoco, the screen that opens up will be pre-populated with your name and surname. Choose your role from the list provided: Trustee, Beneficiary, Founder, or Other, then select the Done button.
Select the + Add button to add the next key individual in the Trust.
Enter the key individual's name, surname, email address, mobile number, and role, then select the Submit button.
Once you've selected the Submit button, Yoco will generate a unique verification link. Select the Send link button to email this link to the key individual you've just added so that they can complete the following tasks:
Give formal consent that you have been authorised to sign up with Yoco on behalf of the Trust (this only applies if the key individual is a Trustee, Beneficiary, or Founder).
Enter their residential address.
Upload an identity document – either a South African ID card, South African green barcoded ID book, South African passport, or international passport.
Complete a liveness check by taking a selfie.
Once you've sent links to each of the key individuals, make sure to select the Done button – this lets us know that you've sent all the links to the listed members.
💡 Good to know: Once the key individual has completed the required tasks, their status will change to in review, while they are manually verified against the Trust documents. As soon as the manual review is complete, their status will change to verified. If the verification process fails, please contact Yoco Support via our in-app chat.
❗Important: This process must be repeated for each key individual in the Trust. The information for each stakeholder will be manually reviewed within 48 hours of submission. Once all stakeholders have been reviewed, the verification process will be marked as complete.
✨ Need to change key individual details?
Select the name of the key individual whose details you want to update.
Select the Edit option on the pop-up window.
Select Send link to send a link with the updated details to the key individual.
Please note: Key individuals' details can only be edited before their verification process has been completed.
✨ Need to resend a verification link?
Select the name of the key individual you would like to resend the verification link to via email.
Select the Resend verification option from the pop-up list.
Select Send link.
👔 Trust verification FAQs
A key individual has not received their verification link via email. What should I do? Please start by double-checking that you entered their email address correctly in the Yoco App. Next, ask them to check their spam/junk folders. If the details are correct, but the link has still not been received, please enter the email address again and resend the link.
What happens if a key individual in the Trust doesn't verify their identity? Unfortunately, this will delay your Yoco profile update and if you miss the deadline, your profile will be disabled and you’ll be unable to transact with Yoco until the update has been completed. Please encourage all listed individuals to complete their verification promptly, and ensure that all information is accurate.
I'm seeing a 'Role mismatch' error in the Yoco App. What should I do? If you're seeing this error message, it means that you have not selected your correct role in the Trust. Please reselect your role from the list of roles shown under the heading Role within committee.
I'm seeing a 'Not a stakeholder’ message in the Yoco App. What does this mean? If you're seeing this error message, it means that the person you’ve added isn’t someone that Yoco needs to verify or have on record. Please remove this individual from the list to continue with the verification process.
Need more help?
Start a conversation with a Yoco Support consultant via our in-app chat.