What are the KYC requirements in Turkey?

Turkish KYC requirements are set by Law No. 5549 and MASAK. All obliged entities must verify customer identity, conduct CDD, apply risk-based monitoring and retain records for eight years. KYC Turkey compliance requires documents including TC Kimlik Kartı, Turkish national ID alternatives, passport and foreigner ID card for non-citizens. eKYC Turkey solutions using NFC chip verification accelerate identity verification while meeting BDDK and MASAK standards.

What is MASAK and what does AML compliance Turkey require?

MASAK is Turkey's Financial Intelligence Unit under the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. AML compliance Turkey obligations require financial institutions to conduct CDD, submit suspicious transaction reports via the MASAK Online system, maintain eight-year records and appoint a compliance officer at senior management level. MASAK compliance applies to banks, payment providers, crypto platforms and all obliged entities.

How does KVKK compliance affect KYC data handling in Turkey?

KVKK (Law No. 6698) requires all data controllers to register with VERBIS before processing personal data. KYC data is classified as personal data and must be encrypted, purpose-limited and subject to data subject access rights. KVKK compliance means cross-border transfers require equivalent protection standards. Turkish identity verification Turkey must align with both KVKK data protection and AML compliance requirements.

What documents are accepted for Turkish national ID KYC verification?

Primary documents for Turkish national ID KYC include TC Kimlik Kartı and Turkish Passport. Secondary documents include Sürücü Belgesi, Yabancı Kimlik Kartı and İkamet İzni for foreign nationals. Chip-based national ID cards with NFC receive preference. eKYC Turkey solutions support all 26 Turkish document types including biometric verification.

What are the KYB requirements for verifying Turkish businesses?

Turkish KYB verification requires Ticaret Sicil Gazetesi, Faaliyet Belgesi and Articles of Association for entity identity. Tax identity uses VKN. UBO identification is mandatory under Law No. 5549, requiring Ortaklık Yapısı, Pay Defteri and Gerçek Faydalanıcı Bildirimi documentation. KYB Turkey compliance includes verification of all beneficial owners at 25% ownership thresholds.

How does Shufti support crypto KYC Turkey compliance under CMB regulations?

Crypto KYC Turkey compliance is governed by CMB Law No. 7518, which requires platforms to obtain Capital Markets Board licences by June 2026. Shufti provides full KYC onboarding, jurisdiction verification for Travel Rule compliance, sanctions screening and eight-year record retention. Our crypto KYC Turkey solutions support CMB licence applications and post-licensing MASAK reporting obligations.

What is the data retention requirement for AML records in Turkey?

Law No. 5549 mandates eight-year retention of all AML records from the end of the business relationship. This covers KYC files, transaction records and STR documentation. AML compliance Turkey requires automated retention schedules and maintains audit-ready records for MASAK examinations and regulatory inspections.

How does Turkey's FATF membership affect AML compliance Turkey obligations?

Turkey has been a FATF member since 1991 and was removed from the grey list in June 2024 after addressing compliance gaps. Post-greylisting, MASAK and BDDK enforce heightened AML standards. FATF's 40 Recommendations guide Turkish AML policy and international correspondent banking expectations. AML compliance Turkey now requires demonstrable controls exceeding minimum standards.

What are the penalties for non-compliance with Turkish KYC and AML regulations?

Non-compliance with Turkish KYC and Law No. 5549 AML obligations results in administrative penalties and potential criminal sanctions. MASAK compliance violations attract fines; failure to maintain eight-year records, conduct proper KYC Turkey verification, or submit STRs results in enforcement action. Crypto platforms failing to obtain CMB licences by June 2026 face liquidation. Enhanced penalties apply to repeat violations.

Samoa

Identity Verification & KYC For Samoa

Shufti delivers KYC, KYB and AML compliance for Samoa's financial sector, aligned to the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2007, Central Bank of Samoa and SIFA requirements.

Operational performance for Samoa KYC

Our Numbers Speak Volumes

<5 sec

Verification Time

240+

Countries and Territories Covered

100%

Omni-format Document Recognition

Evidence-Ready Checks Across People & Businesses in Samoa

Individual Documents We Verify

Shufti supports 1 Samoan document type.

View All Supported Documents

Samoan Passport

ICAO-compliant travel document issued by the Immigration Division. Primary KYC document for financial onboarding, accepted under Central Bank and SIFA regulations.

National ID Card

Government-issued identification for citizens and residents, managed by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics. Accepted for financial onboarding under SIFA regulations.

Samoan Driver's Licence

Issued by the Land Transport Authority for road safety. Secondary KYC document in financial onboarding and accepted under SIFA for identity verification purposes.

Business Entity Identity

Certificate of Incorporation

Official document from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour proving legal establishment. Required for all registered entities under the International Companies Act 1988.

Registry Extract

Summary from the Online Samoa Company Registry showing registration number, status, directors and shareholders. Essential for beneficial ownership verification under SIFA compliance.

Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation

Constitutional documents outlining business activities, management structure and ownership. Required by SIFA for offshore companies and international business entities.

Business Tax Identity

Tax Identification Number (TIN)

9-digit identifier issued by the Ministry of Customs and Revenue for tax purposes. Serves as both TIN and VAT number; required for income tax, VAT and PAYE obligations.

Business Licence Certificate

Document issued on business registration containing TIN and business authorisation details. Required for lawful business operation and tax compliance verification.

Ownership & Control (UBO)

Beneficial Ownership Declaration

Documentation identifying ultimate beneficial owners, directors and shareholders with percentages. SIFA mandates immediate reporting of ownership changes and annual IBC disclosure.

Share Register / Shareholder Records

Company records showing share ownership structure and beneficial ownership information. Updated within 2 working days of change and accessible to SIFA on request.

Director and Shareholder Information

Registry information identifying all persons with control or influence over the entity. Critical for detecting beneficial owner relationships in multi-layered structures.

Languages We Cover

Samoan (Gagana Samoa)

Samoa's primary language with documents issued in English and Samoan, using the Latin script. Shufti handles bilingual capture and diacritical OCR across documents.

English

Official government and business language in Samoa. Regulatory submissions and international financial services documentation are predominantly in English.

Document Text Handling

Samoan documents mix English and Samoan fields. Name matching rules account for Latin script variants and diacritical spellings to prevent mismatches.

GOVERNANCE & CONTROLS

Audit-Ready Decisions, Lower Operational Drag

Fewer Avoidable Re-Submissions

Structured capture guidance prevents blurred uploads, glare and incomplete extraction, reducing retry loops and abandonment.

Cleaner Audit Trails

Consistent decision outputs and regulatory reason codes support Central Bank and SIFA audit requirements and Money Laundering Prevention Act 2007 compliance.

Better Name Matching Outcomes

Transliteration-aware rules handle Samoan name variants and Latin alphabet spelling differences, reducing false match errors.

One Workflow, One Back Office

Identity verification and AML screening in one operational view consolidates KYC, KYB and AML processes, eliminating fragmented tools.

National ID-First Flow Design

Structured extraction optimised for Samoan passport and national ID capture supports risk-based verification and regulatory defence during inspection.

Enterprise-grade compliance infrastructure

Samoa IDV/KYC Challenges

Onboarding Drop-Off

First-time digital KYC users face low-confidence verification requiring a passport or national ID. Failed retries and missing address proof drive abandonment.

Address Proof Gaps

National ID permanent addresses often differ from the current residence. Informal housing and utility bills not registered in user names cause failures.

Identity Fraud Risk

ID photo theft, impersonation and mule sign-ups are common in Samoa's fintech sector. Biometric checks detect repeat fraud and synthetic accounts.

Ownership Complexity

Multi-layered structures with partnerships, trusts and offshore entities create verification challenges. Annual beneficial ownership updates prevent detection.

Shufti's IDV/KYC Solutions for Samoa

KYC Solutions

Face Verification

Stops impersonation and mule sign-ups with liveness and face matching. Detects spoofed identities and reduces manual exceptions in onboarding journeys.

Age Verification

Estimates age from selfie; falls back to national ID or passport verification. Blocks underage access whilst maintaining fast onboarding completion rates.

Address Verification

Shufti verifies any Samoan address-bearing document, including EPC and SWA utility bills and ANZ Samoa and BSP bank statements, confirming KYC residency.

Document Verification

Detects tampered passports and national IDs; extracts fields across English and Samoan variations. Improves OCR accuracy and validates document authenticity.

KYB Solutions

Business Verification

Verifies Samoa businesses and key individuals (directors, UBOs) to reduce shell-company risk. Validates Ministry of Commerce registration and beneficial data.

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

Applies to higher-risk customers requiring additional verification of wealth and business validation. Source-of-funds verification confirms capital legitimacy.

AML Screening

Business AML Screening

Screens Samoan entities and owners against sanctions, PEP and watchlists. Ensures consistent escalations for Central Bank and SIFA examination and audit.

Transaction Screening

Monitors flows for mule behaviour, structuring patterns and high-risk counterparties. Supports continuous AML controls with defensible logs for audit.

REGULATORY ALIGNMENT

Built to Fit Samoa's Compliance Landscape

Central Bank of Samoa (CBS)

Samoa's central bank regulates domestic banks and AML/CFT compliance. Shufti provides CDD evidence, screening records and audit trails for CBS examination. Official Website: https://cbs.gov.ws/

Samoa International Finance Authority (SIFA)

SIFA regulates Samoa's international financial services, offshore entities and banks. Shufti structures KYB evidence and compliance records for SIFA review. Official Website: https://sifa.ws/

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL)

MCIL manages company registration, licensing and commercial regulation in Samoa. Shufti validates entity status through the Online Samoa Company Registry. Official Website: https://mcil.gov.ws/

Ministry of Customs and Revenue (MCR)

MCR issues Tax Identification Numbers and administers income tax and VAT in Samoa. Shufti validates TIN status and business legitimacy for MCR compliance. Official Website: https://revenue.gov.ws/

Samoa Bureau of Statistics

Manages the national ID system for Samoan citizens and residents. Shufti supports Bureau ID standards through national ID verification and authenticity checks. Official Website: https://www.sbs.gov.ws/

Electric Power Corporation (EPC)

Samoa's primary electricity provider supplies residential and commercial consumers. Shufti integrates EPC bill recognition into address verification for KYC. Official Website: https://www.epc.ws/

Samoa Water Authority (SWA)

Samoa's government water services provider for residential and commercial users. Shufti accepts SWA bills for address verification alongside EPC utility proofs. Official Website: https://samoawaterauthority.ws/

Deployment Choice

No major cloud providers have data centres in Samoa; the nearest AWS and Azure regions are in Australia and New Zealand, with on-premise options available.

Regulatory Alignment

Shufti aligns with the Privacy Act 2021 requirements and MLPA 2007 recordkeeping obligations for AML and financial data in Samoa's regulated financial sector.

Retention Controls

Configurable retention and purge settings aligned to the MLPA 2007 five-year minimum recordkeeping obligation for AML and CDD records in Samoa's institutions.

Encryption Posture

Strong encryption applied to personal and financial data in transit and at rest, consistent with ISO/IEC 27001 and Privacy Act 2021 security obligations.

Data and Privacy Controls in Samoa

BUILT FOR COMPLIANCE TEAMS

Samoa AML Sources That Strengthen Decision

National Legislative Assembly | Samoa

Samoa Police

Samoa Observer

Radio New Zealand

Apia News

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main KYC requirements for Samoa?

KYC requirements are set by the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2007. Financial institutions must verify identity using a passport, a national ID or a driver's licence; obtain proof of address; identify ultimate beneficial owners; and screen against OFAC and UN sanctions lists.

Which regulatory body oversees AML compliance in Samoa?

Two primary regulatory bodies oversee AML compliance: the Central Bank of Samoa supervising domestic financial institutions, and SIFA regulating international financial services, offshore companies and trustee companies under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2007.

How do I verify the beneficial owner of a Samoa company?

Beneficial owner verification begins with a Ministry of Commerce registry lookup. Obtain Certificate of Incorporation, Registry Extract and Share Register. SIFA requires beneficial ownership to be reported without delay upon change, with annual updates mandatory for international business companies.

What documents are required for identity verification in Samoa?

Primary documents are Samoan passports, National ID Cards and Government driver's licences. Secondary documents for address proof include utility bills (EPC, SWA), bank statements and government letters, all dated within 3 months, typically bilingual in English and Samoan.

What is SIFA, and what compliance requirements does it enforce?

SIFA is the dedicated regulator of international financial services in Samoa, including offshore companies, international banks and trustee companies. It requires beneficial ownership disclosure, annual compliance audits for international business companies, and source-of-funds verification for higher-risk entities.

How long must Samoa companies retain AML/CFT records?

The Money Laundering Prevention Act 2007 mandates a 5-year minimum retention for all AML and customer due diligence records in Samoa. Trustee companies must retain accounting records, minutes and corporate registers for 7 years, stored digitally or physically.

Is Samoa compliant with FATF AML/CFT standards?

Samoa is a full member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering since May 2000 and maintains FATF compliance. The 2023 follow-up assessment shows strong alignment with FATF recommendations. Samoa is not on the FATF grey list or black list as of February 2026.

What enhanced due diligence requirements apply to Samoa offshore companies?

Enhanced due diligence applies to higher-risk offshore companies and requires source-of-funds verification, beneficial owner screening against OFAC and UN sanctions lists, PEP checks and business model validation. SIFA mandates annual compliance audits and resident agent requirements for international business companies.

What penalties apply for non-compliance with Samoa's Money Laundering Prevention Act?

Non-compliance carries penalties up to 10,000 penalty units, imprisonment up to 7 years or both. The Central Bank may revoke operating licences for failure to comply. SIFA enforces offshore company disclosure; the 2024 tightening resulted in bank account freezes and licence revocation for non-compliant entities.

Build a Samoa-ready KYC, KYB & AML programme with Shufti

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PROVEN WORKFLOWS

Use Cases for Regulated Growth in Samoa

Marketplace

Banking

Crypto

Fintech

Forex

Gaming

Gig Economy

Marketplace

Banking

Crypto

Fintech

Forex

Gaming

Gig Economy

Marketplace

Banking

Crypto

Fintech

Forex

Gaming

Gig Economy

Reduce Fraud Without Blocking Growth

Shufti supports marketplace integrity by verifying seller and buyer identities, enabling age-gated journeys where needed, and preserving evidence to support investigations, disputes, and risk-led enforcement actions.

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Secure Trust at Every Transaction

Automate KYC and AML workflows to reduce manual onboarding costs. Strengthen residency checks while delivering the frictionless digital experience modern customers expect.

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Scale Your Exchange with Confidence

Balance anonymity with compliance. Instantly verify user jurisdiction to meet Travel Rule obligations and help stop abuse without slowing down legitimate trading volume.

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Accelerate Growth, Eliminate Friction

Onboard users in seconds, not days. Deploy tiered address verification flows that maximise completion rates for genuine users while filtering out synthetic fraud.

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Onboard Global Traders in Real-Time

Verify investors across 250+ countries & territories. Ensure compliance with international financial regulations while preventing identity theft and high-risk chargebacks.

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Power a Fair & Secure Player Experience

Reduce bonus abuse and multi-accounting rings at the door. Enforce location rules and trigger step-up checks without disrupting the player journey.

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