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Troubleshooting

This page covers the most common reasons a KYC application receives additional_info_required or rejected status, and the corrective action to take before resubmitting. Resolving the root cause before resubmitting avoids a second round-trip and delays.

Rejected status:

Not all rejection reasons are correctable by resubmission. If your rejection reason is not covered here, contact your PAI point of contact before resubmitting.

Document expired​

Root cause: One or more submitted documents were expired at the time of submission, or expire within 6 months.

How to fix:

  1. Obtain a currently valid version of the document.
  2. Use a document with at least 6 months of remaining validity where possible — documents expiring within 6 months may be accepted but will be flagged for early re-verification.
  3. Ensure the expiry date is clearly visible and legible in the scan.
  4. Upload the replacement document via the dashboard.

Document illegible​

Root cause: The submitted scan or photo does not meet minimum quality standards. PAI cannot read the required information from the file submitted.

How to fix:

  1. Rescan the document — image files must be at least 100 KB and no larger than 4 MB. PDF files must be at least 1 KB and no larger than 4 MB.
  2. For photos taken on a mobile device, lay the document flat on a neutral contrasting surface and photograph straight on — not at an angle.
  3. Ensure all four edges of the document are visible. Do not crop the image.
  4. Do not apply filters, brightness adjustments, or any image editing.
  5. Accepted formats: JPEG, JPG, PNG, PDF. Submit one file per document type.

Address mismatch​

Root cause: The address on the submitted proof-of-address document does not exactly match the address entered in the application form.

How to fix: Choose one of the following:

  • Correct the address in your application to match the document exactly, including formatting such as street type abbreviations and postcode format, then resubmit the same document.
  • Submit a different proof-of-address document that matches the address as entered in the application.

The document must be dated within the last 90 days and issued by a bank, utility provider, or government authority.

Minor formatting differences:

Small formatting differences such as "St." versus "Street" may be reconcilable. Contact your PAI point of contact if you are unsure whether your specific mismatch qualifies before resubmitting.

Missing director, signatory, shareholder, or UBO​

Root cause: One or more individuals required under the KYC obligation were not declared in the application, or were declared but no identity documents were submitted for them.

PAI requires KYC information for all directors, all authorised signatories, all shareholders, and all ultimate beneficial owners — any natural person with direct or indirect ownership or control of 25% or more of the legal entity.

How to fix:

  1. Review your entity's full ownership and governance structure.
  2. Identify every director, authorised signatory, shareholder, and UBO not yet declared.
  3. Add each individual to the application.
  4. Submit a government-issued photo ID for each individual. Full name, date of birth, photo, document number, and expiry date must be clearly visible.
  5. Where ownership reaches individuals through intermediate entities, document the full chain — see UBO chain incomplete.

Business description too vague​

Root cause: The business description does not provide enough detail for the PAI compliance team to determine the nature, risk profile, and regulatory status of the merchant's activity. Generic descriptions such as "software services", "consulting", or "retail" are insufficient.

How to fix: Rewrite the business description with enough detail for a reviewer who is not familiar with your business to understand what you sell, who you sell it to, and how customers pay you. Avoid one-word categories. If your activity falls into a regulated or restricted category, say so explicitly and reference the licence or approval you hold. See Business Category & Document Matrix for restricted and prohibited categories.

UBO chain incomplete​

Root cause: The ownership structure submitted does not trace through all intermediate entities to a natural person at every level. Ownership held via holding companies, trusts, investment funds, or other intermediate legal entities must be documented at each step in the chain.

How to fix:

  1. Map the complete ownership structure from the applying legal entity through every intermediate entity to every natural person with 25%+ indirect ownership.
  2. For each intermediate legal entity, provide incorporation or registration documents.
  3. For each natural person at the end of each chain, provide a government-issued photo ID.
  4. If a trust appears in the chain, provide the trust deed or equivalent and identify the beneficial beneficiaries.
  5. If a fund appears in the chain, provide fund registration documents and identify the relevant beneficial owners.

No shortcuts for complex structures:

Every chain must be documented to natural person level regardless of the number of intermediate entities involved. There is no minimum complexity threshold below which full UBO documentation is not required.

Bank statement rejected​

Root cause: The bank statement submitted does not meet PAI's document requirements for bank account or source-of-funds verification.

How to fix: Ensure the submitted bank statement meets all of the following:

  • Account holder name visible and matching the legal entity name exactly
  • Account number or IBAN fully visible
  • Bank name or logo present — documents issued by third-party accounting software are not accepted
  • Date of issuance visible and within the last 12 months
  • No missing, cut-off, blurry, or low-quality sections
  • Not edited or personalised in any way
  • File format: JPEG, JPG, PNG, or PDF — maximum 15 MB

Bank-issued debit or credit card photos are not accepted as bank statements.

Still unresolved after resubmission​

If your application has received a second additional_info_required notice, or your rejection reason is not covered above, contact your PAI point of contact directly. Include your merchant ID and the specific notice you received.