ID Verification Flow

Name: AfriRoute CPaaS
Rating: 4.8 (1250 reviews)

Build a complete KYC verification system with document upload, OCR, face matching, and compliance checks.

What You'll Build

✅ Document upload (ID, passport)
✅ OCR data extraction
✅ Face matching & liveness
✅ National ID verification
✅ SIM swap detection
✅ Compliance reporting

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Prerequisites

✅ AfriRoute Account with KYC API
✅ Node.js 18+ or Python 3.8+
✅ File storage (S3 or similar)

Verification Flow

1. Upload ID Document
   ↓
2. OCR Extraction
   ↓
3. Face Photo Upload
   ↓
4. Face Matching
   ↓
5. National ID Check
   ↓
6. SIM Swap Detection
   ↓
7. Verification Complete

Step 1: Document Upload (Node.js)

kyc-handler.js
const express = require('express');
const multer = require('multer');
const { AfriRoute } = require('afriroute-sdk');
require('dotenv').config();

const app = express();
const upload = multer({ dest: 'uploads/' });

const client = new AfriRoute({
  apiKey: process.env.AFRIROUTE_API_KEY,
  apiSecret: process.env.AFRIROUTE_API_SECRET
});

// Step 1: Upload ID document
app.post('/kyc/upload-id', upload.single('document'), async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const { country, documentType } = req.body;
    const file = req.file;

    console.log(`🆔 Uploading ${documentType} for ${country}`);

    // Extract data using OCR
    const ocrResult = await client.kyc.extractDocument({
      document: file.path,
      country: country,
      document_type: documentType // 'national_id', 'passport', 'drivers_license'
    });

    console.log('✅ OCR extraction complete');

    res.json({
      success: true,
      verification_id: ocrResult.verification_id,
      extracted_data: {
        full_name: ocrResult.full_name,
        id_number: ocrResult.id_number,
        date_of_birth: ocrResult.date_of_birth,
        expiry_date: ocrResult.expiry_date,
        nationality: ocrResult.nationality,
        document_number: ocrResult.document_number
      },
      confidence_score: ocrResult.confidence,
      next_step: 'upload_selfie'
    });

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Upload failed:', error);
    res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

// Step 2: Upload selfie for face matching
app.post('/kyc/upload-selfie', upload.single('selfie'), async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const { verification_id } = req.body;
    const selfie = req.file;

    console.log('🧑 Uploading selfie for face match');

    // Perform liveness detection
    const livenessResult = await client.kyc.livenessCheck({
      image: selfie.path
    });

    if (!livenessResult.is_live) {
      return res.status(400).json({
        error: 'Liveness check failed',
        message: 'Please take a live photo'
      });
    }

    // Compare with ID photo
    const faceMatch = await client.kyc.faceMatch({
      verification_id: verification_id,
      selfie: selfie.path
    });

    console.log(`✅ Face match: ${faceMatch.confidence}%`);

    res.json({
      success: true,
      face_match: faceMatch.match,
      confidence: faceMatch.confidence,
      liveness_passed: true,
      next_step: 'verify_identity'
    });

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Selfie upload failed:', error);
    res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

// Step 3: Verify identity with government database
app.post('/kyc/verify-identity', async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const { verification_id, id_number, country } = req.body;

    console.log(`🔍 Verifying ID: ${id_number}`);

    // Check national ID database
    const idVerification = await client.kyc.verifyNationalId({
      id_number: id_number,
      country: country,
      verification_id: verification_id
    });

    // Check for SIM swap (fraud detection)
    const simSwap = await client.kyc.checkSimSwap({
      phone_number: req.body.phone_number,
      country: country
    });

    console.log(`✅ ID verification: ${idVerification.status}`);

    res.json({
      success: true,
      verification_status: idVerification.status,
      id_valid: idVerification.is_valid,
      sim_swap_detected: simSwap.swapped_recently,
      risk_score: calculateRiskScore(idVerification, simSwap),
      next_step: 'complete'
    });

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Verification failed:', error);
    res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

function calculateRiskScore(idVerification, simSwap) {
  let score = 0;

  if (!idVerification.is_valid) score += 50;
  if (simSwap.swapped_recently) score += 30;
  if (idVerification.document_expired) score += 20;

  return score;
}

// Get verification status
app.get('/kyc/status/:verification_id', async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const status = await client.kyc.getStatus({
      verification_id: req.params.verification_id
    });

    res.json(status);

  } catch (error) {
    res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('🆔 KYC server running on port 3000');
});

Step 2: Python Implementation

kyc_verification.py
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
from afriroute import AfriRoute
import os

app = Flask(__name__)
client = AfriRoute(
    api_key=os.getenv('AFRIROUTE_API_KEY'),
    api_secret=os.getenv('AFRIROUTE_API_SECRET')
)

@app.route('/kyc/upload-id', methods=['POST'])
def upload_id():
    try:
        file = request.files['document']
        country = request.form['country']
        doc_type = request.form['documentType']

        print(f"🆔 Processing {doc_type}")

        # OCR extraction
        result = client.kyc.extract_document(
            document=file,
            country=country,
            document_type=doc_type
        )

        return jsonify({
            'success': True,
            'verification_id': result.verification_id,
            'extracted_data': {
                'full_name': result.full_name,
                'id_number': result.id_number,
                'date_of_birth': result.date_of_birth
            },
            'confidence': result.confidence
        })

    except Exception as e:
        return jsonify({'error': str(e)}), 400

@app.route('/kyc/upload-selfie', methods=['POST'])
def upload_selfie():
    try:
        selfie = request.files['selfie']
        verification_id = request.form['verification_id']

        # Liveness check
        liveness = client.kyc.liveness_check(image=selfie)

        if not liveness.is_live:
            return jsonify({'error': 'Liveness check failed'}), 400

        # Face matching
        match = client.kyc.face_match(
            verification_id=verification_id,
            selfie=selfie
        )

        return jsonify({
            'success': True,
            'face_match': match.match,
            'confidence': match.confidence
        })

    except Exception as e:
        return jsonify({'error': str(e)}), 400

@app.route('/kyc/verify-identity', methods=['POST'])
def verify_identity():
    try:
        data = request.json

        # National ID verification
        id_check = client.kyc.verify_national_id(
            id_number=data['id_number'],
            country=data['country']
        )

        # SIM swap check
        sim_check = client.kyc.check_sim_swap(
            phone_number=data['phone_number'],
            country=data['country']
        )

        return jsonify({
            'success': True,
            'id_valid': id_check.is_valid,
            'sim_swap_detected': sim_check.swapped_recently,
            'risk_score': calculate_risk(id_check, sim_check)
        })

    except Exception as e:
        return jsonify({'error': str(e)}), 400

def calculate_risk(id_check, sim_check):
    score = 0
    if not id_check.is_valid: score += 50
    if sim_check.swapped_recently: score += 30
    return score

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(port=3000, debug=True)

Step 3: Verification Frontend

kyc-form.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>ID Verification</title>
  <style>
    body { font-family: Arial; max-width: 600px; margin: 50px auto; }
    .step { display: none; padding: 20px; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 10px; }
    .step.active { display: block; }
    button { background: #003366; color: white; padding: 12px 24px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; }
    input[type="file"] { margin: 10px 0; }
    .success { color: green; }
    .error { color: red; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>🆔 Identity Verification</h1>

  <!-- Step 1: Upload ID -->
  <div class="step active" id="step1">
    <h2>Step 1: Upload ID Document</h2>
    <select id="country">
      <option>Kenya</option>
      <option>Ethiopia</option>
      <option>Uganda</option>
    </select>
    <select id="docType">
      <option value="national_id">National ID</option>
      <option value="passport">Passport</option>
      <option value="drivers_license">Driver's License</option>
    </select>
    <input type="file" id="idDoc" accept="image/*">
    <button onclick="uploadID()">Upload →</button>
  </div>

  <!-- Step 2: Upload Selfie -->
  <div class="step" id="step2">
    <h2>Step 2: Take a Selfie</h2>
    <p>Please take a live photo for face matching</p>
    <input type="file" id="selfie" accept="image/*" capture="user">
    <button onclick="uploadSelfie()">Upload →</button>
  </div>

  <!-- Step 3: Phone Verification -->
  <div class="step" id="step3">
    <h2>Step 3: Verify Phone</h2>
    <input type="tel" id="phone" placeholder="+254700123456">
    <input type="text" id="idNumber" placeholder="ID Number">
    <button onclick="verifyIdentity()">Verify →</button>
  </div>

  <!-- Step 4: Complete -->
  <div class="step" id="step4">
    <h2 class="success">✅ Verification Complete!</h2>
    <p>Your identity has been successfully verified.</p>
    <div id="results"></div>
  </div>

  <div id="message"></div>

  <script>
    let verificationId = null;

    async function uploadID() {
      const formData = new FormData();
      formData.append('document', document.getElementById('idDoc').files[0]);
      formData.append('country', document.getElementById('country').value);
      formData.append('documentType', document.getElementById('docType').value);

      const res = await fetch('/kyc/upload-id', {
        method: 'POST',
        body: formData
      });

      const data = await res.json();

      if (data.success) {
        verificationId = data.verification_id;
        showStep(2);
        showMessage('ID uploaded successfully!', 'success');
      } else {
        showMessage(data.error, 'error');
      }
    }

    async function uploadSelfie() {
      const formData = new FormData();
      formData.append('selfie', document.getElementById('selfie').files[0]);
      formData.append('verification_id', verificationId);

      const res = await fetch('/kyc/upload-selfie', {
        method: 'POST',
        body: formData
      });

      const data = await res.json();

      if (data.success && data.face_match) {
        showStep(3);
        showMessage(`Face match: ${data.confidence}%`, 'success');
      } else {
        showMessage('Face match failed. Please try again.', 'error');
      }
    }

    async function verifyIdentity() {
      const res = await fetch('/kyc/verify-identity', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
        body: JSON.stringify({
          verification_id: verificationId,
          phone_number: document.getElementById('phone').value,
          id_number: document.getElementById('idNumber').value,
          country: document.getElementById('country').value
        })
      });

      const data = await res.json();

      if (data.success && data.id_valid) {
        document.getElementById('results').innerHTML = `
          <p>Risk Score: ${data.risk_score}</p>
          <p>SIM Swap: ${data.sim_swap_detected ? 'Yes' : 'No'}</p>
        `;
        showStep(4);
      } else {
        showMessage('Verification failed', 'error');
      }
    }

    function showStep(step) {
      document.querySelectorAll('.step').forEach(s => s.classList.remove('active'));
      document.getElementById(`step${step}`).classList.add('active');
    }

    function showMessage(text, type) {
      const msg = document.getElementById('message');
      msg.textContent = text;
      msg.className = type;
    }
  </script>
</body>
</html>

Supported Countries

🇰🇪 Kenya (National ID, Passport)
🇪🇹 Ethiopia (National ID, Passport)
🇺🇬 Uganda (National ID)
🇹🇿 Tanzania (NIDA)
🇳🇬 Nigeria (NIN, BVN)

Compliance

GDPR: Store data encrypted, allow data deletion
KYC/AML: Verify against government databases
Data Retention: Follow local regulations

Best Practices

Store documents encrypted
Implement liveness detection
Check SIM swap for fraud prevention
Log all verification attempts
Implement rate limiting

Troubleshooting

Low OCR confidence: Use better quality images
Face match fails: Ensure good lighting
ID not found: Verify ID number format

Next Steps

📱 OTP Auth
🔒 Security
📊 Compliance

Pro Tip

Always implement liveness detection to prevent photo spoofing!

What You'll Build​

Prerequisites​

Verification Flow​

Step 1: Document Upload (Node.js)​

Step 2: Python Implementation​

Step 3: Verification Frontend​

Supported Countries​

Compliance​

Best Practices​

Troubleshooting​

Next Steps​