The ability to open a bank account on a selfie has practically become a standard in recent times. More and more financial institutions are making it possible to open a bank account without leaving home. In today’s post, we present a list of banks where it is possible to open an account on a selfie, or with the help of a short video showing our face.
Selfie account. What should we know?
The increasing prevalence of biometrics, i.e. the use of fingerprints or irises, for example, to confirm identity, means that financial institutions are increasingly turning to it in their services to customers. This is because most people have adapted devices, and biometrics is one of the more reliable mechanisms for confirming identity.
Behind an eye scan or a fingerprint that allows us to unlock a phone, pay for purchases or sign a document goes both time and money savings for customer service. Biometrics is also a great sense of security, since it is virtually impossible to forge a fingerprint.
Until recently, in order to open a bank account, one had to go with an ID card to a branch, wait one’s turn in line and spend a minimum of several dozen minutes completing the formalities. Today, it is thanks to biometrics that identity confirmation is possible online, and as a result, we can also remotely open a bank account or take out a loan.
In which banks will we open a selfie account?
The list of banks where it is possible to open a selfie account is growing every few months. This is due to the fact that an increasing number of financial institutions are moving the vast majority of processes precisely to the cloud. This allows them to speed up the provision of services and significantly reduce the cost of doing banking business.
The following list of banks that provide the ability to open a selfie account has been prepared based on the current services provided by the banks and may be updated over time. In turn, the order of banks is completely random.
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Account for selfie mBank
To set up a selfie account with mBank, it is necessary to download a mobile application for your cell phone (smartphone) from the Google Play or iStore store. After launching it, the app will ask you to select the appropriate type of account and take a few short videos showing your face and the obverse and reverse of your ID card.
Once everything passes, we will proceed to confirm the terms of the agreement, and the account will be activated within 24 hours.
ING Bank Slaski selfie account
The selfie account at ING Bank Slaski will be opened in a similar way to the account at mBank, but instead of videos ING has opted for selfies. To open the account, it is necessary to download the appropriate application, where we will select the type of account and take a few photos with our image. Of course, we will also need an ID card to confirm our personal information.
According to the bank’s assurances, the whole process is supposed to take about fifteen minutes and be as easy as taking a photo, the bank argued in a press release. It is worth mentioning that ING Bank Slaski was one of the first banks in Poland to provide the option of setting up a selfie account.
Selfie account PKO Bank Polski
The country’s largest commercial bank is not lagging behind and also provides the opportunity to open a selfie account. The service was first made available in mid-2020 and – analogous to ING and mBank – requires downloading the corresponding “IKO” application.
In order to open an account using a smartphone, PKO Bank Polski expects you to take a few photos of your face and ID (both sides). The account is expected to be opened within 24 hours, and the entire process is expected to take no more than a quarter of an hour. The contract will be sent to the email address indicated in the application. It will be necessary to confirm the terms and consents and digitally sign it.
Pekao SA selfie account
Pekao SA also provides the opportunity to set up a selfie account, and like its predecessors, it is required to download the appropriate app for this purpose. This time it is PeoPay and can be downloaded to any smartphone. After launching the app, you will be asked to take a few photos of your face and ID.
The whole process is similar to those we deal with at other banks and is also supposed to be completely secure and extremely simple. If you don’t want to take a face photo, your identity can be confirmed at one of the branches.
Millennium selfie account
Bank Millennium was one of the first banks in Poland to rely on biometrics when opening bank accounts for consumers. The solution was first made available in April 2020.
Importantly, in order to open a selfie account with Millennium Bank, there is no need to download any application for this purpose. It is enough to go to the bank’s website, select the type of account, fill out the relevant form and take photos in the browser. The bank will inform us about the activation of the account by email.
Selfie account – other banks
In addition to the institutions listed above, we will also open a selfie account at Getin Bank, Alior Bank and the Cooperative Banking Group (SGB), among others, but as we mentioned earlier, the list of banks may soon be updated, as more and more institutions are using biometrics.
