Guest Verification — ID, Selfie & Safety

Verification Steps

Each step is independently configurable per property:

1. Personal Information — Full name, phone, email, address
2. Government ID — Passport, driver's license, or national ID upload
3. Selfie Matching — Live selfie compared against the uploaded ID
4. Additional Guests — Primary guest registers all other guests
5. House Rules — Read and acknowledge property rules with signature

Access Security Gate

Important: Guests must complete identity verification before receiving access codes, WiFi passwords, or entry instructions. This prevents security breaches and ensures the right person gets the right information.

When guests ask about entry codes or WiFi before verification:

• They're automatically sent a secure verification link
• Access details are shared immediately after verification completes
• No manual intervention required — the system handles this automatically

This security gate applies to all sensitive property information including door codes, lockbox combinations, building entry codes, and WiFi credentials.

Phone Verification

When guests enter their phone number, the system automatically validates the format and sends an SMS verification code. If there's an issue with the phone number, guests see clear guidance:

• Invalid format: "That phone number doesn't look right. Please double-check the country and number."
• Cannot deliver SMS: "We couldn't deliver an SMS to this number. Try a different mobile number."
• Too many attempts: "Too many verification attempts for this number. Please wait a few minutes before trying again."

Guests can correct their number and try again immediately — no more getting stuck on mysterious errors.

[Screenshot: Phone verification form with country selector and helpful error message]

Damage Protection

If you require damage protection for a property, guests must complete payment before they can access check-in information. Once a guest's payment is confirmed, the system automatically recognizes them as having completed that step and unlocks check-in details — even in edge cases where the guest closed their browser during checkout or was redirected by their bank.

This means guests who have genuinely paid will never be stuck on the verification screen waiting for a step that's already done. No manual intervention is needed on your end.

[Screenshot: Damage protection payment step in the guest verification portal]

Configuring Verification

1. Open your listing in the CMS
2. Go to the Guest Portal tab
3. Under Verification, toggle each step on or off
4. Save

Full verification for high-value properties. Personal info + house rules for budget listings.

How Guests Complete It

Guests receive a portal link after booking. They complete each step on phone or computer. Progress is saved — they can leave and come back.

The phone verification step is now more reliable with better error handling, so guests won't get stuck if their initial number doesn't work.

Magic Login Links: The portal links guests receive automatically log them in and take them directly to verification. This ensures a smooth experience without authentication barriers.

Damage protection: Once payment is confirmed, the system immediately unlocks check-in information. Guests who complete payment mid-flow — for example, after a bank redirect — are automatically recognized as having finished this step. They won't need to contact you or refresh the portal repeatedly.

Owner Stays

When you book a stay in your own property, Vanio automatically waives every verification step for that reservation. As an owner, you'll never be asked to upload an ID, take a selfie, acknowledge house rules, or pay a security deposit through the stay portal — you open your portal and go straight to the check-in details.

This happens automatically for any reservation booked as an owner stay. There's nothing to configure, and it never affects your regular guests: direct bookings, Airbnb, Booking.com, and every other channel still require guests to complete whichever verification steps you've set up for your property.

[Screenshot: Owner stay portal showing check-in details with no verification steps]

Returning Guests

Guests who previously completed verification skip steps they've already done. Returning guests go straight to house rules acknowledgment.

What You See

Verification status and timestamps show in the reservation timeline. View uploaded IDs from the reservation detail panel.

• Not Started: Guest hasn't begun verification
• In Progress: Guest has started but not completed all steps
• Completed: Full verification finished — guest can receive access codes
• Exempt: Host manually exempted this guest from verification requirements

Tips

• At minimum, require personal info and house rules
• ID + selfie significantly reduces problematic guests
• Additional guest registration helps with local regulations
• Keep house rules concise and specific
• Phone verification now handles international numbers more reliably
• The access security gate works automatically — no need to manually withhold codes
• Owner stays skip verification automatically — no property setting needed
• If a guest contacts you saying they're stuck after paying damage protection, check the reservation timeline — if payment is confirmed, the system will have already unlocked their check-in details

Common Questions

Q: What if a guest can't receive SMS verification? A: The system will clearly explain why (invalid number, carrier blocked, etc.) and prompt them to try a different mobile number. No more generic error messages.

Q: Can guests use international phone numbers? A: Yes, the system validates international numbers and provides country-specific formatting guidance when there are issues.

Q: What happens if verification fails? A: Guests see specific error messages explaining what went wrong and how to fix it, making it easy to complete verification successfully.

Q: What if a guest asks for access codes before completing verification? A: The system automatically sends them their secure portal link to complete verification first. Once verified, all access details are shared immediately — no manual steps required.

Q: Do I need to complete verification when I stay in my own property? A: No. Vanio automatically recognizes owner stays and skips all verification steps for you. You'll go straight to your check-in details the moment you open the portal. This is automatic — no setup required, and it only applies to your own owner bookings, not to any of your guests.

Q: A guest says they paid the damage protection fee but are still stuck on the verification screen. What should I do? A: Once payment is confirmed, the system automatically recognizes the damage protection step as complete and unlocks check-in information — no action is needed on your part. Ask the guest to refresh their portal page. If payment went through, check-in details should be available immediately. If the problem persists, contact Vanio support with the reservation details.