Companies House ID Verification for Pakistani Directors

Pakistani directors of UK companies are required to verify their identity with Companies House under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Whether you were appointed recently or have held your directorship for years, this requirement applies to you. This guide explains how Pakistani directors can navigate the process efficiently.

The legal requirement for Pakistani directors

Companies House identity verification is mandatory for all directors of UK companies, regardless of nationality or country of residence. As a Pakistani director, you must obtain your 11-character Companies House personal code and provide it within the required timeframe. For existing directors, the deadline is November 2026. New directors appointed since 18 November 2025 must verify before their appointment can be registered.

Which verification route suits Pakistani directors?

There are two main routes for Companies House identity verification:

• GOV.UK One Login — requires a UK passport or UK driving licence. Most Pakistani directors will not hold these documents, making this route unsuitable.
• ACSP (Authorised Corporate Service Provider) — accepts a wider range of identity documents, including foreign passports. This is typically the route Pakistani directors should use.

Documents Pakistani directors need

The primary document required is a valid Pakistani passport. Your passport must be current (not expired) and machine-readable. Before you begin, check that:

• Your name on the passport matches the name on the Companies House register exactly
• Your date of birth matches the Companies House record
• The passport is not damaged, with all text and the photo clearly visible
• The machine-readable zone at the bottom of the data page is intact and legible

Step-by-step process for Pakistani directors

1. Check your current details on the Companies House register to confirm your name and date of birth are recorded correctly
2. Choose an ACSP that supports Pakistani passports and international applicants
3. Create an account and select the director verification service
4. Enter your personal details, including your Pakistani residential address and company number
5. Upload your passport and complete the identity checks, including a liveness verification
6. Receive your personal code once verification is complete
7. Provide your personal code to Companies House through the official service

Directors of multiple UK companies

If you are a director of more than one UK company, you verify your identity only once. The same personal code can be used across all your directorships. However, you must provide the code separately for each company, typically at the time of the company’s confirmation statement.

What happens if you do not verify

After the November 2026 deadline, continuing to act as an unverified director is a criminal offence. Companies House may also place a public annotation on the register against your name, which will be visible to anyone searching for the company. Do not wait until the last moment — start the process early to allow time for any document or register issues.

Get started from Pakistan

Companies House ID Verification supports Pakistani directors with a guided process and a fixed £19 fee. Review how the process works and check the document requirements before starting.