Several things could be going on here, we’ll go through a few:
Depending on the jurisdiction only certain Photo ID documents are acceptable, for example, UK regulations do not accept an American Driving Licence as a Photo ID for the purposes of employment or tenancy agreements. Typically, the UK configurations of Spotlite will recognise most passports, most EU National ID cards and EU Driving Licences.
If the document has an MRZ code, we must be able to read the full MRZ Code from the document. If it is only partially visible, either because of a mark on the document or by glare causing a reflection, the document will not be accepted. Check that the document is not damaged and that all of the MRZ Code is clearly visible and not marked in anyway.
Several Photo ID documents use plastic coatings or holograms to ensure that the document has not been tampered with. Under certain lighting conditions, these features can cause glare or reflections that prevent the camera from reading the document or scanning the photo. Make sure the photo is clearly visible and avoid glare and reflections on the photo or the elsewhere on the document.
Best practice is to use Spotlite in an office or other environment where light is evenly diffused and there is no direct strong light source causing glare or reflections on the document. Even the best cameras cannot out-perform the human eye in uneven or extreme bright or dark lighting conditions. Beware, low light conditions can cause unpredictable results!
Hold both the document and camera steady while Spotlite tries to recognise and lock on to the document. Placing the document on the desk may help if it is not directly under a light. Tilt the document or the camera slightly if Spotlite tells you to do so but don’t keep moving the document or phone.
Hold the document by its edges. Don’t put your thumb over the picture or any of the text – we don’t do x-ray!
If Spotlite does not accept the document or has Amber warning errors, just retake another scan of the document in better lighting conditions. You can retake a picture of the Photo ID as many times as you like.
If the document does not have an MRZ Code, you will have the opportunity to correct any OCR errors. Spotlite is about helping you collect evidence of compliance and setting basic control standards. If the machine is wrong, you simply override. This will create an Amber warning and will be highlighted on the certificate. We will also double check that the system is not being abused. This will be invisible to both you and the Applicant. We will not put you at risk in front of a potential fraudster, but it gives you confidence that we are working with you to help prevent fraud. If we do detect fraud, we will report our suspicions and may monitor your account for a while.