"Identity Verified" vs "Government ID" verified

[Kacey7]

I had an inquiry from a potential guest with a brand new account and zero info except for their first name. I encouraged the completion of their profile, including ID Verification, and to get back with me.

They wrote back quickly after making some updates. There now appeared the "Identity verified" badge on their profile, as well as Confirmed: Identity, Email address, and Phone number. However, they informed me they were not sure where to upload an ID.

It appears Airbnb now hands out the "Identity verified" badge after a guest submits a government ID, OR by simply submitting their legal name and address.

No longer does Airbnb display the "Government ID" verification. Here's what it used to look like:

I'm not sure what produced this change at Airbnb, but my guess is it was a means of removing barriers to entry for guests.

Here's the rub. According to this page, https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1237/verifying-your-identity

"Hosts may ask their guests to provide a government ID in order to book their place..."

So, hosts who only want to accept guests with a government ID can still ask, but we no longer have any way of confirming the guest actually provided it?

[Emilia42]

@Kacey7 You need to make sure that this box is checked:

https://www.airbnb.com/hosting/requirements

This requirement will prompt the guest to submit an ID to Airbnb before the booking confirms. If the guests have not already done this, you will see a hold on your calendar (for up to 12 hours) while the guest goes through the verification process.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/272/can-i-require-guests-to-be-verified-before-booking

[Kacey7]

Thanks, @Emilia42. Though it doesn't appear checking this box means a guest will need to submit a government ID prior to booking, only that they "go through verification," which now includes adding a name and address.

[Emilia42]

[Emilia42]

@Kacey7 I've had many guests message me that they are having trouble uploading their ID and thus the booking does not confirm. It definitely appears that Airbnb is asking for this information prior to the booking as shown by the "Verification" hold on the calendar. A guest providing a name and address does not take up to 12 hours. 

[Kacey7]

@Emilia42 I think the issue here is that government ID is no longer required for a guest to become verified. A name and address will do. Read the how-to, Verifying your identity: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1237/verifying-your-identity

Airbnb says that hosts may ask their guests to provide a government ID, but a host has no way of confirming it was a government ID that approved the verification, or simply a name and address.

[Emilia42]

@Kacey7 You're right. My sister was able to "Verify" her Airbnb profile by "logging in with Facebook" within about 3 seconds.  "Identity verified" does not equal "Government Id uploaded." But in my experience, if you have that box checked, then your guest would have been prompted to upload their ID when trying to complete a booking with you. And if they failed to upload an ID then their booking would not confirm. When you initially clicked the link that I posted, was the box check?

[Kacey7]

Thanks, @Emilia42. The box was not checked when I first opened the link. Curiously, it seems like a very suppressed page and has me wondering why the setting isn't included under Policies and rules > Guest requirements.

It would be great if checking that box was the booking request equivalent of "Government-issued ID required" for Instant Book, but I have my doubts, based on the way it is worded, where the Learn More takes you, and the way "verified" is now defined.

[John5097]

@Kacey7 I have the box checked also to require guest to go through verification that @Emilia42  posted. I had found it by doing google search.

Here is a link to a help article.

"Can I require guests to be verified before booking?"

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/272/can-i-require-guests-to-be-verified-before-booking

If the box is checked,  some guest have to upload an ID that blocks the calendar for 12 hours but that is up to Airbnb to decide. For example, based on the info article, a host with the utilities in their name that match other forms of ID may not be required to upload an ID, while their partner who doesn't have utilities in their name would be required to upload ID. 

I do get a fair number of guest who have 12 hours to upload their ID. 

The only way for host to require government ID is by using Instant Book and checking the box. It would be nice if Request to Book had this feature. As moving forward I'll be requiring guest to upload government ID. 

[John5097]

Edit for typo in bold: 

"For example, based on the info article, a GUEST with the utilities in their name that match other forms of ID may not be required to upload an ID, while their partner who doesn't have utilities in their name would be required to upload ID." 

[John5097]

PS.. hope that helps. It seems rather confusing. I wasn't aware of the secret page to require guest to verify ID for some time, and happened to stumble across it, and have also been giving it a test run.  

I think we all try to stay on top of these things and develop a strategy if we plan to be hosting long term.  The more options host have and are aware of the better they can manage their listing, but as option to request guest verify ID isn't included with the host tools on the hosting website, one day could go to click on the info page there be a cute dog, "Opps, Buster can't find what you are looking for." 

And if you don't have that box checked to require guest to go through verification process you will get scores of guest with no profile, no profile pic, zero reviews no first message, and only email or phone number verified, if those options aren't checked by the host. 

[Kacey7]

Thanks, @John5097, that does help. I've read the article several times and it seems like the verification process varies with each guest. By your guess, a name and address could pass muster if they check with third party-verified utility/banking data, while other guests without sufficient third party data are asked to upload a government ID.

On https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1237/verifying-your-identity, it seems if that first sentence were true, this setting would be on by default, and ALL guests would need to be verified.

Until then, I have the box checked on the secret page which shall not be named.

[Emilia42]

@Kacey7  

Just FYI: After I clicked the box to require guests to go through ID verification this is what happens quite often with incoming bookings. Some eventually confirm and others disappear if requirements are not met.

[Kacey7]

Thanks @Emilia42. It's good to know what to expect on the hosting side.

[Gillian166]

@Emilia42  same! i've had a few guests ask me to waive this part as they can't work out how to scan their ID. I've had 1 decide not to proceed once they knew they had to upload ID, which was weird.