Quick steps
Follow these quick steps to verify your identity through your My ISED Account. Please note that there is no cost associated with the verification of your identity.
1 Sign in to your My ISED Account.
2 Click on "Profile".
3 Under the yellow exclamation mark, click on "Get started" to verify your identity.
4 Choose your preferred verification option to verify your identity.
Canada Revenue Agency Identity Validation Service
You can verify your identity using the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Identity Validation Service (IVS), a safe and secure service that verifies your identity by sharing limited personal information held in your existing CRA account with Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).
What information does CRA share with ISED?
Through the identity verification process, the following personal information will be collected and disclosed to ISED with your consent: given name, family name, date of birth, phone number, and postal code.
Will the CRA IVS disclose my tax or income data?
No. The CRA IVS is only used as a means to verify your identity with ISED. The service uses your previously verified identity with the CRA and communicates your verified identity information to ISED with your consent.
Interac® verification service using banking login
You can verify your identity using Interac® verification service, a safe and secure service that enables the limited sharing of personal information held by your financial institution only for the purposes of verifying your identity. Currently Interac® supports identity verification through ten Sign-In Partners: BMO, CIBC, Desjardins, Envision Financial, Island Savings, Prospera Credit Union, RBC, Scotiabank, TD and Valley First.
What information does your personal banking institution share with ISED?
Through the identity verification process, the following personal information will only be collected, used and disclosed with your consent: given name, family name, date of birth and postal code.
Will I be charged fees if I use this method?
No, you will not be charged any fees. Only your identity is being verified through your banking credentials. ISED and all portfolio organizations will not have access to your banking information.
Will Interac® save my banking login information?
No, Interac® verification service does not have access to your banking information or the credentials you use to log into your personal banking institution.
Interac® document verification service
With this option, you must take a photo of your ID using Interac® document verification service, as well as a selfie with your mobile device.
What identification documents are accepted?
- Canadian passport
- Provincial or territorial driver’s licence
Will Interac® save my photos (selfie and identification document)?
Interac® verification service will store your photos for 90 days for account management purposes or in case there are any issues. The photos will be deleted after that period.
In-person visit to a Canada Post Outlet near you
To verify your identity with Canada Post, begin the process by providing consent and your personal information. Next, follow the instructions to complete the verification in person at a Canada Post outlet. After you finish, Canada Post will update ISED to confirm your completion. Once this is done, sign in to your My ISED Account to finalize your verification.
What information is saved by Canada Post?
The address information will not be stored by the ISED program or service; however, it will be stored in the Canada Post system as a transitory record for 120 days.
What do I need to bring to Canada Post?
You will need to present government-issued photo identification that must include your given name, family name and date of birth.
In addition, proof of address information is required by Canada Post to complete the identity verification.
If your government-issued photo identification does not include the following elements, a secondary document displaying your address will be required:
- Address number
- Address number suffix (e.g. A)
- Street name
- Unit (e.g. 1202)
- Other address attribute (e.g. 7th floor)
- City
- Province
- Country
- Postal code
Which forms of identification are acceptable?
Acceptable government-issued photo identification to prove identity at a Canada Post Outlet
- Canadian passport
- Canadian permanent resident card
- Canadian Secure Certificate of Indian Status
- Provincial driver's licences
- Provincial services cards
- Provincial or territorial identity cards
What information is shared between Canada Post and ISED?
Data ISED shares with Canada Post prior to the identity verification process
- Given name
- Family name
- Date of birth
- Address number
- Address number suffix (A)
- Street name
- Unit
- Other address attribute
- City
- Province
- Country
- Postal code
- Barcode (unique identifier) issued to the Canada Digital Adoption Program applicant to present at the Canada Post outlet in order to initiate the in-person identity verification process
- List of participating Canada Post locations nearest to applicant
Data Canada Post shares with ISED following the identity verification process
- The date the identification verification process was completed
- An identity verification pass or fail indicator
Additional information shared when the identity verification is positive:
- Verified given name
- Verified family name
- Verified date of birth
- Type of government-issued document used for identity verification
- Document place of issuance (province, territory or Canada)
- Document unique identifier
- Document expiry date
Note: If you are experiencing technical issues with verifying your identity using Interac® verification options, call Interac® Help Desk at 1-844-778-5409 or report a problem using their online form .