# VSB 20 Art. 9 — Identification on a face-to-face meeting - **Rubric (DE):** Identifizierung bei persönlicher Vorsprache - **Rubric (EN):** Identification on a face-to-face meeting - **Chapter:** 2. Kapitel — Identifizierung des Vertragspartners (2. Abschnitt: Natürliche Personen) - **Scope:** Banks & securities firms (incorporated via [[GwV-FINMA Art. 35 - Identification, controlling person and beneficial|GwV-FINMA Art. 35]]) - **Status:** In force (since 1 January 2020) ## Description Abs. 1: on a personal appearance (*persönliche Vorsprache*), the bank identifies the contracting party by inspecting an official identity document with a photograph (passport, identity card, driving licence or similar) and putting a copy of it on file. Abs. 2: video identification (*Videoidentifizierung*) in accordance with the FINMA rules in force from time to time is treated as equivalent to identification on a personal appearance. ## Context & interpretation The SBA commentary states that "personal appearance" means personal contact between the customer and the bank's representative at which the identification is carried out, on the bank's premises or elsewhere. A copy made beforehand must be verified against the original at the personal appearance at the latest; a copy made only afterwards brings the Art. 10 rules (correspondence) into play. The choice of accepted documents lies in the bank's discretion, but only documents bearing a photograph are admitted. ## FATF - [[FATF R.10 - Customer due diligence|FATF R.10]] — identification and verification of the customer's identity (here for a natural person, by inspecting a photo identity document). ## Swiss counterparts - [[GwV-FINMA Art. 45 - Natural persons and sole proprietors|GwV-FINMA Art. 45]] — Abs. 1 and 3: identification by inspecting an identification document; all photo documents issued by a Swiss or foreign authority are admissible. No copy requirement is stated in Art. 45 Abs. 1 or 3 (Abs. 2 requires a certified copy where the relationship is established without personal appearance). - [[GwV-FINMA Art. 48 - Form and handling of documents|GwV-FINMA Art. 48]] — Abs. 2: where the intermediary makes a copy of the document presented, it confirms on it that it inspected the original (or certified copy) and signs and dates it; VSB Art. 9 Abs. 1 provides only that a copy is put on file. - [[GwG Art. 3 - Verification of the identity of|GwG Art. 3]] — statutory basis: identification of the contracting party on the basis of a probative document (Abs. 1). - [[VSB 20 Art. 10 - Identification by correspondence|VSB 20 Art. 10]] — rules that apply, according to the commentary, where the copy of the document is made only after the personal appearance. - [[VSB 20 Art. 7 - Information to be documented|VSB 20 Art. 7]] — the details the commentary says are to be recorded on identification. - [[VSB 20 Art. 44 - Duty to ensure documentation|VSB 20 Art. 44]] — duty to ensure documentation, to whose commentary the Art. 9 commentary refers. ## Part of - [[VSB 20]] ## Further AMLR connections - [[AMLR Art. 22 - ID - verify customer + BO|AMLR Art. 22]] — VSB Art. 9 Abs. 1 verifies by official photo ID and file copy, as in Art. 22(6)(a); Abs. 2 equates FINMA-compliant video identification, a different standard from Art. 22(6)(b) eID. *(direct)* ## Sources - VSB 20 (Vereinbarung vom 13. Juni 2018, in force 1.1.2020), Art. 9 - SBVg Kommentar zur VSB 20 (2020), Art. 9