Full KYC (required to unlock higher limits and physical cards) typically involves three categories of documents: a government-issued ID, a facial liveness check, and proof of address. Basic KYC (often called KYC1, the default threshold most issuers use to activate a virtual card) has a much lower bar — email and phone number verification is all it takes to get started. Each issuer has its own policy on which documents are required at which tier, so reviewing the tier table before applying will save you from submitting multiple rounds of follow-up documents.
The Three Documents Full KYC Usually Requires
1. Government-issued identity document
- Passport (photo page): the most universally accepted by cross-border issuers
- National ID (front and back): common in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia
- Driver’s license: accepted by some US-based issuers
The document must be within its validity period, with a clear photo, all four corners visible, and no glare.
2. Facial liveness verification
Completed via your phone’s camera — follow the prompts to blink, turn your head, and open your mouth. The system compares the liveness video against the photo on your ID. Poor lighting and wearing glasses or a mask are the most common causes of failure.
3. Proof of address (not required by every issuer)
Dated within 3 months: utility bills, bank statements, credit card statements, or telecom bills. The document must show both your name and your complete address. PDF originals pass at a higher rate than screenshots. European issuers such as Revolut and Wirex tend to enforce address proof strictly, while some Asia-Pacific virtual card programs do not require it.
Basic KYC Only Needs Email and Phone Number
If you just want a virtual card with a modest limit for small recurring payments — subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus, Claude, or Cursor — basic KYC is usually sufficient:
- Email address: for verification codes and statements
- Phone number: for 2FA and risk-control SMS
- Some issuers ask for your name and date of birth, but do not require document uploads
The trade-off at this tier is a lower limit (per-transaction limits are commonly 200–500 USDT, monthly limits 1,000–2,000 USDT — refer to the official page for exact figures) and no path to upgrading to a physical card. If your use case is simply paying for ChatGPT Plus or Claude Code, basic KYC is typically enough.
How Requirements Differ Across Issuers
The variation in document requirements mainly comes down to two factors: the jurisdiction the issuer operates in, and the card tier.
| Type | Typical documents required |
|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific virtual cards | ID + liveness; proof of address rarely mandatory |
| European virtual / physical cards | ID + liveness + proof of address + sometimes tax ID |
| US-based issuers | ID + liveness + SSN/ITIN + proof of address |
| Basic KYC virtual cards | Email + phone number |
Our editorial pick MPCard Asia Elite runs on an Asia-Pacific network — opening the card requires only an ID and liveness check. Proof of address becomes necessary only if you upgrade to the Global Business physical card. For specific requirements from other issuers, see our Do USDT Cards Require KYC? article.
Editorial Recommendations
Do: Have your passport and a bank statement PDF from the past 3 months ready on your phone before you start. Upload everything in one go to avoid having your application flagged by risk controls during a follow-up window.
Don’t: Do not submit edited images, expired documents, or inconsistent romanized names and addresses across different issuers — this is the leading cause of KYC rejection. If you are unsure about the compliance boundaries in your issuer’s jurisdiction, check the compliance map before deciding which tier to apply for.