What you need to prove who you are
You will be asked to:
- take a photo of your ID
- record your face using your device
- enter your NHS number if you know it
We ask you to record your face so that we can compare it to your photo ID and prove who you are. We may also ask you for more details to help find your NHS record, like your date of birth or postcode.
Photo ID we can accept
The image you send needs to be of your original photo ID. You cannot send an image of a printout or screen showing your photo ID.
We can accept an expired photo ID if it expired less than 12 months ago.
You can send:
- passport
- UK driving licence (full or provisional)
- UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
- UK residence card
- UK application registration card (ARC)
- CitizenCard
- European driving licence (full)
- European national identity card
- a valid UK entry clearance visa sticker
Photo ID we do not accept
We do not accept photo ID with any handwritten information other than a signature.
You cannot send:
- paper ID cards
- UK driver qualification cards (DQC or Driver Card)
- travel cards
- bus passes
- NHS ID Cards
- university or school ID cards
- an image of a printout or screen showing your photo ID
- any other document with handwritten information
How to take a photo of your ID
Passport
To take a good photo of your passport make sure:
- you have not covered any part of the page
- all 4 edges of the page are in your photo
- you can clearly see your face and all the text
- there's no shine from a light or window
Other accepted ID
To take a good photo of your photo ID make sure:
- you do not cover any of the corners
- you can clearly see your face and all the text
- there's no shine from a light or window
Black screen shows when trying to take a photo
If the camera does not open or shows a black screen when taking a photo, this may be a problem with permissions or a known bug in the operating system.
You should make sure the web browser on your device has camera and microphone permissions. You must also give permission for the NHS login website to access your device’s camera and microphone.
If you are using an iOS device, updating the iOS operating system software on your device to a newer version may also help. Version 11.2 will always show a black screen when trying to open the camera.
There is an Apple support article that describes how to check for updates.
Camera unavailable when trying to take a photo
If your gallery or file manager opens instead of your camera when trying to take a photo, you may have an issue with permissions.
You must give permission for your web browser to access the camera and microphone. If your web browser does not have permission, you will not be given the option to use the camera. Instead, your device's photo gallery or file manager app will open instead.
You must also give permission for the NHS login website to access your device’s camera and microphone.
If this problem keeps happening even with permissions allowed, there might be a problem with your device. You can try opening your camera app separately to take a photo of your ID. When you have taken a photo, you can then start again and prove who you are by selecting ‘upload a photo’.
If this does not work, you can also try taking a photo on another device. For example, you can use another phone or tablet that belongs to you or a family member.
Find out how to prove who you are without using photo ID
How to give your web browser permission to access the camera and microphone
Android devices
Change permissions for apps on your Android device.
iOS devices
Change permissions for apps on your iOS device.
How to give our website permission to access the camera and microphone
Your web browser should tell you any time a site requests access to your camera or microphone. This usually happens when you visit a website for the first time. You will be given the option to select ‘allow’ or ‘block’.
If you select ‘block’ the NHS login website will not be able to access your camera or microphone. You can change this by going to your web browser settings.
Chrome
If you are using Google Chrome, select the icon to the left of the web page address in the address bar. This will allow you to view and change the permissions for the website you are on.
You can also go to Chrome’s settings and select the ‘privacy and security’ tab. Select ‘site settings’ to view and change permissions for your camera and microphone.
Internet Explorer
If you are using Internet Explorer, go to the web browser’s settings page. Select ‘advanced settings’ and then ‘manage permissions’ to view and change permissions for your camera and microphone.
Firefox
If you are using Firefox, you can select the website’s icon in your address bar and click ‘more information’.
Firefox also has a permissions manager that lets you see which permissions you have set up for different websites and change them all in one place. To access it, enter ‘about:permissions’ into your Firefox address bar.
Safari
If you are using Safari, select ‘preferences’ to open the preferences window. You can then select the ‘security’ tab and ‘manage website settings’ to view and change permissions for your camera and microphone.
What to do if your photo file is damaged
We run a virus check on the photo of your ID. If the file you upload is infected or damaged, you can try and upload another one.
If this keeps happening, there might be a problem with your device. Try taking a photo using a different device. For example, you can use another phone or tablet that belongs to you or a family member.
Send the photo to your usual device and try uploading it again. Or, you can upload your photo from the other device just to prove who you are. Once you have proven who you are, you can then use NHS login on your usual device as normal.
Find out how to prove who you are without using photo ID
How long does it take to check photo ID?
After you send your photo ID and video, we will check it and email you to let you know if the check has been successful.
What happens if you do not pass the check?
If you do not pass the photo ID check, we will send you an email with some advice. We will tell you whether you should try again and what you can do to pass.
If you keep getting the same problem, you can prove who you are without photo ID instead.