> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.methodfi.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Identity Verification (IDV) > Why identity verification matters and how the two-step process works. Identity Verification ## Proving Your Users Are Who They Claim to Be Method currently supports identity verification for US-based individuals only. Users without a US credit history or US phone number cannot complete verification. ### Why IDV Matters Identity verification is the gateway to Method's platform. Before Method will discover a user's accounts, retrieve their credit data, or process payments on their behalf, the user must prove they are who they claim to be. It's a fundamental fraud prevention and compliance requirement that protects both your users and your platform. For your product, IDV is typically the first meaningful interaction a user has after signing up. The verification experience directly impacts your onboarding conversion rate: a smooth, fast verification flow keeps users engaged, while a clunky or confusing one creates drop-off. Choosing the right verification approach is one of the most impactful product decisions you'll make in your Method integration. IDV gates access to every downstream product: [Connect](/guides/connect/overview) (account discovery), [Updates](/guides/updates/overview) (fresh balances), [Payments](/guides/payments/overview), [Credit Scores](/guides/additional-products/credit-scores), [Attributes](/guides/additional-products/attributes), and more. An Entity that hasn't completed IDV stays in `incomplete` status with no product access. For most integrations, IDV is the single highest-impact step to optimize — every percentage point of verification conversion translates directly to users who can access your product's core features. **Using Opal?** If you're using Method's embedded UI, Opal handles both phone verification and identity verification in a single, managed flow. You don't need to build verification screens or manage session state — Opal orchestrates the entire process. The rest of this section is relevant if you're building a custom integration or want to understand what Opal is doing under the hood. See the [Opal guide](/opal/identity/overview) for details. ### The Two-Step Process IDV consists of two sequential steps, each serving a distinct purpose: Confirms that the user controls the phone number associated with their identity. This is the "something you have" factor — it proves the person filling out your form actually possesses the phone number they provided. Phone verification must be completed before identity verification can begin. Attempting to create an identity verification session for an Entity without phone verification will fail with `MISSING_PHONE_VERIFICATION`. Confirms that the user's provided information matches a real person's identity through a KYC (Know Your Customer) process — it proves they are who they claim to be, not just someone who has access to a phone number. Both steps must be completed for an Entity to be fully verified and gain access to downstream products. ### What Happens After Verification Once both steps are complete, the Entity's status updates to `active` and the Entity becomes both `matched` and `verified`, unlocking downstream products: [Connect](/guides/connect/overview) (account discovery), [Credit Scores](/guides/additional-products/credit-scores), [Payments](/guides/payments/overview), and more. The verification is persistent — you don't need to re-verify for subsequent operations. See [Entity Lifecycle](/guides/entities/lifecycle) for how verification status affects what you can do. Choose the right phone and identity verification approach. Understand the difference between Matched and Verified. Improve match rates through better data collection. Full API reference for verification session endpoints.