When you verify your identity for Companies House through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), you usually need one proof of address. Directors who live outside the UK often worry about this step. Does it need to be in English? Does it need a UK address? What if it is in my spouse’s name? This guide answers each question, based on what Launchese accepts as an ACSP.
Does my proof of address need to be in English or show a UK address?
No to both. Your proof of address can be in any language, and it should show your home address wherever you live. A bank statement from Casablanca in French, or a utility bill from Hanoi in Vietnamese, is fine.
What matters is that the document:
- shows your full name,
- shows your home address,
- is dated within the last three months,
- comes from an organisation, such as a bank or utility company, not from you.
Which documents count?
The documents that usually work best are:
- a bank or credit card statement, ideally the PDF you download from online banking,
- a utility bill (electricity, water, gas, internet or landline),
- a council, municipal or tax letter addressed to you,
- a mobile phone contract bill.
The full list is on our proof of address page.
What slows a review down?
Most delays come from three things, and all three are easy to avoid.
A screenshot instead of a PDF. A screenshot of your banking app usually crops out the bank’s name, the date or your address. Download the PDF statement instead.
An address typed differently from the document. Copy your address exactly as it is printed, including the flat or apartment number. If something is slightly off, a person on our team checks and asks you. We do not refuse for a missing flat number. A completely different address is what slows things down.
An old document. Anything older than three months has to be replaced, so check the date before you upload.
What if the bill is in someone else’s name?
A document in someone else’s name, such as a spouse or parent, is not an automatic refusal. It does need something that ties you to that address. If you only have documents in another person’s name, contact our support team before you upload so we can tell you what helps.
What happens to my document?
Your document is stored privately and only read to check your name, address and date. It is kept for at least seven years, because anti-money-laundering law requires it, and it is never published or put on the public register.
You upload it only through the secure link we email you after you order. Never send identity documents or proof of address through social media, chat or WhatsApp, to us or to anyone else.
Why does an ACSP ask for proof of address at all?
The free GOV.UK app checks who you are from the chip in your passport. An Authorised Corporate Service Provider has a different job. It is a regulated firm, supervised for anti-money-laundering purposes, and the rules require it to check both your identity and where you live before it files your verification with Companies House.
That is why the proof of address step exists. It is not about whether you live in the UK. It is about confirming that the person on the passport is a real person at a real address, wherever that address is.
For most directors this takes a few minutes. The document you use for your bank or your phone contract every month is usually enough.
Common situations we see from abroad
You moved recently. If your newest bill is still at your old address, use a bank statement, which usually updates faster. Type the address that is on the document.
Your address has no street name. Many addresses in Morocco, Jordan, Vietnam and elsewhere are written by district, building or landmark. That is fine. Copy it exactly as it appears on the document, in the same order.
Your statement is in two languages. Upload it as it is. You do not need to translate it.
You share a flat and the bills are in a friend’s name. Use a document in your own name if you have one, such as a bank statement. If you do not, contact support before you upload.
Your upload checklist
- Pick one document from the last three months.
- Download the PDF from your bank or provider rather than taking a screenshot.
- Check your full name and home address are visible.
- Type your address exactly as it is printed.
- Upload it only through your secure link.
What a reviewer actually checks
When your proof of address reaches our compliance team, a person reads it. They check four things: that the name matches your passport or ID card, that the address matches what you typed, that the date is within the last three months, and that the document comes from a real organisation.
If one of those does not line up, they do not simply reject your case. They write to you and ask. Most questions are answered in a single reply, for example by uploading a newer statement or confirming a flat number.
This is the main difference between a person reviewing your case and an automatic check. An automatic check fails and stops. A person looks at the whole picture, including documents in languages and formats an automatic system may not recognise.
If you are unsure whether a document will work, ask our support team before you upload. They answer on email, WhatsApp and phone, in several languages.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a document in Arabic, Turkish or Vietnamese?
Yes. It does not need to be in English or translated.
Can I use my company’s registered office address?
No. Proof of address is about where you live, not where your company is registered.
I live between two countries. Which address do I use?
Use the address on your proof of address document, and type it exactly the same way in your order.
Do I need a proof of address if I use the free GOV.UK app?
The GOV.UK app has its own steps and does not use our upload. This guide is about verifying through an ACSP.
Where Launchese fits in
Launchese is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), number AP020671, and is supervised by HM Revenue and Customs for anti-money-laundering purposes. Verifying with us takes about ten minutes on any device: your passport or ID card, a photo and selfie, and one proof of address. A person reviews every case, and we file the result with Companies House.
Standard is £50 and takes up to three working days. Express is £99 for same-day verification on a working day. Both are subject to our checks, and if we cannot verify you, you are not charged.
Prefer to talk it through? Book your free 15-min advisory call today.
Related reading
- Companies House identity verification for overseas directors: the real deadline and your three options
- Passport without a chip? Phone without NFC? What the free GOV.UK route really needs
Sources
- GOV.UK: Verify your identity for Companies House
- GOV.UK: Being an Authorised Corporate Service Provider
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. For anything beyond the rules explained here, check with a qualified professional.
