Amazon Overhauls KYC Verification Guidance for EU and UK Sellers
Amazon’s new KYC pages now show country‑by‑country document checklists (e.g., Handelsregister for Germany, K‑bis for France) and enforce JPEG/PDF, ≥300 dpi, ≤5 MB file rules, plus a FAQ on beneficial owners under the EU AML Directive.
Overview
Amazon has refreshed the Know Your Customer (KYC) verification guidelines for sellers operating in the European Union and United Kingdom marketplaces. The new help pages list document requirements by country, outline separate workflows for different business structures, and spell out exact acceptance standards. Sellers aiming to launch or maintain a presence in Europe should review the changes to avoid unnecessary rejections and selling interruptions.
Key Points
- Country‑by‑country checklists — A German‑based seller now sees that a Handelsregister extract is required, while a French seller must upload a K‑bis certificate, removing guesswork across borders.
- Entity‑type pathways — Sole proprietors receive a list of personal ID and tax‑registration documents, whereas limited companies are guided to provide articles of association and shareholder registers.
- Exact file rules — Amazon specifies JPEG or PDF, a minimum of 300 dpi resolution, and a maximum file size of 5 MB, so a blurry passport scan will be rejected outright.
- Expanded FAQ — The new FAQ clarifies who qualifies as a beneficial owner under the EU’s Fifth Anti‑Money‑Laundering Directive, helping non‑profit groups avoid misclassification.
What's Changing
- Country‑specific document lists — When a seller selects “Germany” in the verification portal, the system displays a checklist that includes a Gewerbeanmeldung and a recent utility bill; a seller from Spain sees a requirement for a Registro Mercantil extract and a Spanish NIE.
- Entity‑type workflows — The platform now routes a partnership to a step that asks for a partnership agreement and identification for each partner, while a limited liability company is prompted to upload its certificate of incorporation and a list of directors.
- Published acceptance criteria — Before submission, sellers can view a table that states “PDF, 300 dpi, ≤5 MB; translations required for any document not in English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish.” A seller uploading a low‑resolution PNG of a tax certificate will receive an immediate format error instead of a vague rejection.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
The precise, country‑specific checklists eliminate guesswork, cutting verification cycles from weeks to days. Strict 300 dpi, ≤5 MB file limits prevent blurry‑passport rejections, and the new FAQ clarifies beneficial‑owner rules for non‑profits and partnerships, keeping sales uninterrupted.
Key Takeaways
- Country‑specific checklists require documents like a Handelsregister extract for Germany and a K‑bis certificate for France.
- Accepted file formats are JPEG or PDF with a minimum of 300 dpi resolution and a maximum size of 5 MB; non‑English docs need translation into EN, F...
- Separate workflows: sole proprietors submit personal ID and tax registration, while limited companies provide articles of association and sharehold...
- The expanded FAQ defines beneficial owners per the EU Fifth AML Directive, helping non‑profit and partnership sellers avoid misclassification.
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central, go to Settings > Account Info > Business Verification, select your country, and download the specific document checklist.
- →Replace any low‑resolution scans with 300 dpi PDFs under 5 MB and upload translations in one of the accepted languages before submitting.
- →Read the new FAQ (Seller Central > Help > KYC Verification) to confirm your entity type and required beneficial‑owner documentation.
Comments
Join the discussion
Log in or create an account to share your thoughts on this update.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!