To complete the ING identification form at Australia Post, print the Identity Verification Form that ING emails you during your application, fill in your personal details but leave the signature blank, then take it with your original ID to a participating Australia Post branch. The clerk witnesses your signature, scans your documents, and sends the verified data back to ING. Your account stays locked until that happens, and most visits take under ten minutes.
Prepare the Form Before You Leave Home
ING generates the Identity Verification Form as part of your account application. It carries a barcode that links the in-person check to your digital file, so the Australia Post clerk cannot process the visit without it. Print it clearly. A smudged or partial barcode can stall the whole appointment.
Fill in the personal details section — your full legal name and current residential address — before you go. Leave the signature section blank. Your signature has to be witnessed by the clerk, and signing early invalidates the form.
Check every detail against the ID you plan to bring. Even a minor mismatch, such as a middle name that appears on your licence but not on the form, can prompt the clerk to flag the verification.
Which ID Documents ING Accepts
ING gives you two options, and you only need to satisfy one of them.
- One primary photographic ID: Australian driver licence, Australian passport (can be expired up to two years), foreign passport, foreign government-issued identity card, or an Australian proof of age card.
- One primary non-photographic ID plus one secondary document. The primary can be an Australian birth certificate, citizenship certificate, Medicare card, Veterans’ card, or a government concession card such as a Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. The secondary can be a utility notice, council rates notice, ATO notice of assessment, government financial benefits notice, or a bank statement.
Every document must be an original and legible. Expired documents are rejected, with the single exception of Australian passports expired less than two years. If a photo ID no longer resembles you — significant weight change, different hair colour, aging — the clerk can refuse it as not a reasonable likeness. Foreign-language documents need an English translation prepared by an accredited translator. ING does not accept digital ID; a physical copy of each document is required.
Find a Participating Post Office
Not every post office handles bank identity verification. Use the Australia Post locator at auspost.com.au/locate, select “More services,” then filter under “Identity & document services” and look for “Identity Verification Form/Request.”1Australia Post. Find a Location or Service The results show each branch’s address and operating hours. Full-service corporate post offices handle these transactions regularly; smaller licensed outlets sometimes keep restricted hours for identity work or do not offer it at all, so confirm before you travel.
What Happens at the Counter
Hand the clerk your printed form and your original ID. The clerk scans the barcode to pull up your record in Australia Post’s system, checks your ID details against what you wrote on the form, and confirms the photo is a reasonable likeness of the person in front of them. The documents also have to appear genuine and current.
When the clerk is satisfied, they ask you to sign the form while they watch. The witnessed signature is central to the process; signing beforehand or skipping this step means the verification does not count. The clerk then scans your documents into Australia Post’s secure system.
Before you leave, ask for a stamped copy of the form or a transaction receipt. It will usually show a transaction number and the date and time of the service. Keep it until your account is fully active. If anything goes wrong on ING’s end, that receipt is your proof the step was completed.
How Long Until Your Account Activates
Australia Post transmits your verified data to ING electronically right after the transaction. ING then reviews the information against your original application, and you cannot transact on the account until that review clears.2ING. Know Your Customer Most customers receive an email or app notification confirming activation within a few business days, though ING does not publish a guaranteed turnaround time. Once verified, you get full access to transfers, card activation, payee setup, and everything else that was locked behind the identity gate.
If the Verification Is Rejected
The most common reasons for rejection are a name mismatch between the form and the ID, an expired document (other than an Australian passport within its two-year window), a photo that no longer resembles the applicant, or a damaged barcode on the form. If the clerk catches a problem at the counter, they will tell you on the spot and you can return with corrected documents.
If ING rejects the verification after Australia Post submits it, the bank will contact you to request additional information. ING’s specialist KYC team can be reached on 1800 171 296, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 8 pm AEST/AEDT, to confirm what went wrong and which alternative documents will be accepted.2ING. Know Your Customer
Why the In-Person Step Exists
Australian financial institutions must verify every customer’s identity before providing services under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006. AUSTRAC requires banks to complete customer due diligence before a designated service begins.3AUSTRAC. Overview of Customer Due Diligence Because ING operates online without physical branches, it uses Australia Post’s identity services network for the face-to-face check. The clerk stands in for the bank teller who would otherwise verify your ID at a branch counter.