CoinFeedCan I Use a Passport for Binance KYC Verification?
Want to perform KYC on the Binance Official Site but find that your ID card is not with you or the document is severely worn? A passport is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Binance KYC supports passport verification worldwide; as long as the passport has more than 6 months of validity remaining and the personal information page is clear and legible, the pass rate is no different from ID card verification. If you are an overseas Chinese or a resident of Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, using a passport is often even more convenient than an ID card. Users who haven't installed the Binance Official App can check the iOS installation tutorial first to set up the app before starting KYC.
A passport is an internationally recognized document, and the Binance system has targeted OCR recognition training for passports from different countries and regions. The recognition accuracy for Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and English passports is over 95%. Below are the specific requirements and operations for passport verification.
Which Passports Does Binance Accept?
Binance supports valid passports issued by the vast majority of countries and regions, including but not limited to:
- People's Republic of China Private Passport (starting with PO)
- Hong Kong SAR Passport
- Macau SAR Passport
- Republic of China (Taiwan) Passport
- Singaporean and Malaysian Passports
- US, Canadian, Australian, UK, and EU Passports
- Japanese and South Korean Passports
Public passports (starting with PE/PD) and temporary travel documents (such as temporary passports or one-time documents) are generally not accepted because their validity is too short or their data integrity is insufficient.
Specific Requirements for Passport Photography
Film Only the Personal Information Page
Many people are confused about which page to film. For a passport, you only need to film the page with the photo (usually page 2), which contains your name, passport number, date of birth, issuance date, expiry date, passport photo, and the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ). You do not need to film the cover, visa pages, or entry/exit record pages.
Full Frame with All Four Corners
All four corners of the personal information page must be fully visible, with no fingers pressing on them. Since a passport is a bound booklet, you should hold down the opposite page to prevent the center from arching during photography.
Clear Machine Readable Zone
The Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) is the two lines of text composed of letters, numbers, and angle brackets at the bottom of the personal information page. This is a critical area for automatic system recognition and must be clearly legible. If the MRZ is blurry, the entire verification will be rejected.
Validity Must Exceed 6 Months
Binance has a strict requirement for passport validity: at the time of KYC submission, the passport must have at least 6 months of validity remaining. Anything below this threshold will be rejected immediately by the system without manual review.
Standard Passport Verification Process
- Log into the app and tap the profile icon to enter the personal center.
- Locate the "Identity Verification" or "KYC Verification" entry point.
- Select "Passport" as the document type.
- Select the country or region of issuance.
- Film the passport personal information page as prompted.
- Perform liveness face recognition.
- Submit and wait for review.
Tips for Filming a Passport
The plastic-coated pages of a passport are even more reflective than ID cards, so extra care is needed.
- Lay the passport flat on a dark surface and use a book to hold down the opposite page to prevent curling.
- Tilt the angle slightly under overhead lighting to avoid reflections.
- Do not take photos on a glass table or a smooth tablecloth, as reflections will accumulate.
- Using the phone's main rear camera gives the best results; avoid the front camera.
Can Electronic Passports Be Used?
Binance does not currently read the data from electronic passport chips, so whether there is an electronic chip does not affect verification. However, the new version of passports issued by mainland China after 2012 (e-passports with chips) has higher international recognition, so using the new version is recommended if possible.
Which is Faster: Passport or ID Card Verification?
In terms of review speed, ID card verification (especially for mainland China IDs) is generally faster because Binance's OCR system is best optimized for Chinese IDs. Passports require cross-verification with international identity databases and can occasionally be slower.
General comparison:
| Document Type | Normal Review Duration | Peak Period Review Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland China ID | 30 minutes - 2 hours | 2-6 hours |
| Mainland China Passport | 1-4 hours | 6-24 hours |
| HK/Macau/Taiwan Passport | 2-6 hours | 12-48 hours |
| Other Country Passports | 4-12 hours | 24-72 hours |
Common Reasons for Passport Verification Rejection
- Passport corners are covered by fingers and not filmed completely.
- The MRZ area is blurry or covered by fingers.
- Reflections on the coated page make the photo or name illegible.
- The passport is expired or has less than 6 months of validity.
- The visa page was filmed instead of the personal information page.
- The passport is damaged, creased, or the coating is peeling.
FAQ
Will using a passport for KYC as a mainland Chinese citizen indicate I am non-local?
No, it won't. Binance KYC's verification logic is based on identity authenticity rather than nationality judgment. Your application will be processed according to the country that issued your passport, and the system will not treat you differently because you are a mainland citizen using a mainland passport.
Can Hong Kong and Macau residents use the Home Return Permit?
The recognition rate for the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents (commonly known as the Home Return Permit) is unstable in the Binance KYC system. Some users report passing, while others are rejected. Using the SAR passport is recommended for more stable recognition.
Should I film the signature page of the passport?
No. Binance only needs one shot of the personal information page. Signature pages, remarks pages, and visa pages do not need to be filmed.
Can I use a passport that expired 3 days ago temporarily?
No. The system will reject it even if it expired just one day ago. You must renew your passport and obtain the new document before performing KYC.
What if my new passport number is different from the old one after replacement?
It's normal for new and old passport numbers to differ. If you previously passed KYC with an old passport, the document number in your account information will still be the old one. You can apply to update your document information via a support ticket, submitting images of the new passport and proof of the old passport's cancellation. Support will update it after verification.
Which one can I bind if I have two passports (dual nationality)?
A Binance account can only be bound to one identification document. If you hold multiple passports, choose the one you use most frequently. If you want to change it in the future, you will need to go through the manual customer support process.
Can I still provide proof of address after passport verification?
Absolutely. Passport verification is the basic KYC. When you want to upgrade to Intermediate or Advanced KYC later, you can just submit the proof of address to upgrade without starting from scratch.
Summary
Binance KYC fully supports passport verification; mainland China, HK/Macau/Taiwan, and overseas passports can all be used. As long as the passport is valid (with over 6 months remaining), the personal information page is filmed clearly, and the MRZ is legible, the pass rate is no different from ID card verification. For overseas Chinese and HK/Macau/Taiwan users, a passport is often a more convenient choice than an ID card.