IOS 26.4 How can I pass age verification in the UK without credit card or photo ID?
I’m an older person struggling with this. I don’t have a credit card and health problems mean I can’t drive or travel, so I have no drivers licence or passport. (The phone asks for national ID but the UK doesn’t have that).
Surely looking at the age of my account and activity they must realise I’m an adult.
iPhone 17 Pro
The verification can use the length of time you've had your Apple Account to verify age.
If the account is less than 18 years old, then that option will not be available.
Unfortunately at this time, thee is no other way to verify age.
You will want to contact Apple Support and let them know it's not possible to verify your age.
click here ➜ https://getsupport.apple.com
The verification can use the length of time you've had your Apple Account to verify age.
If the account is less than 18 years old, then that option will not be available.
Unfortunately at this time, thee is no other way to verify age.
You will want to contact Apple Support and let them know it's not possible to verify your age.
click here ➜ https://getsupport.apple.com
After a total of nearly two hours on the phone and in chats, I’d finally been escalated to someone who knows what is going on.
They have been inundated today by calls and chats from people who are clearly adults but don’t have the rather restrictive set of ID that Apple currently requires.
They confirmed that even though the support pages say that you can confirm with your Apple account this doesn’t actually exist.
They have reported back to the engineers that more methods of verification are needed and they expect a solution shortly.
We can only hope this is resolved soon.
It’s currently causing a lot of upset for Apple consumers and a lot of work for Apple Support!
Felipe_felop wrote:
It seems poorly thought through. In the US most people have credit cards and there are national IDs. But not in the UK.
Compliance is dictated by the Age Assurance laws in effect in the UK. For most in the US there is not that requirement currently. Other regions may allow a National ID/Government ID for compliance when no Driver's License is available.
The UK has specific age assurance requirements to access certain content. You may be required to confirm you’re an adult before changing certain safety settings or taking other actions with your Apple Account
Legal - UK Online Safety - Apple
*A Digital ID in Apple Wallet created using a U.S. passport can be used to confirm that you're an adult.
If you’re asked to confirm that you’re an adult - Apple Support
The Face ID is to access your Apple Wallet to check for a credit card. It isn't a face scan.
I was researching last night and it turns out I can't get a credit card, and nobody in my immediate family is eligible for one either. My mum should be alright as she has a driving licence, but I'll have to apply for a provisional if I want to gain access to my phone again. 😐
[Edited by Moderator]
Exactly the same thing happened to me, no credit card or driving licence, Apple Support asked me to try my passport (it actually says on their website only US passport will work). I spent over 2 hours with 2 different support people, they both came up with different reasons why it didn’t work. 1 insisted a patch is coming, the other said it wouldn’t be. Meanwhile I’m left in limbo, waste of time.
lcolchester wrote:
And possibly the worst thing is that if you check out your Apple id online you will see that they already have your date of birth.
That is the birthdate you entered when creating the account where no verification is required. That is similar to a website asking you if you are over 18, where those age checks without verification no longer qualify for the Age Assurance laws.
XColin wrote:
Will not accept my debt Visa card. No way it will accept passport.
The instructions are quite specific that debit cards are not acceptable. If you're in the UK, passports are not accepted. You need a credit card or driving license. People have reported that, in the UK, provisional driving licences work.
Success! Last night I managed to scan both sides of my UK driving licence, so no more pesky age verification notification! I guess it takes perseverance when scanning driving the licence, took me several minutes before it activated!
You should tell Apple Support that because they are telling people that passports work
I'm in the same situation, it's absolutely ridiculous. I have no driving licence, an expired passport (which it doesn't support anyway) and I only have debit cards registered with Apple Wallet as I do not have a credit card, so how are you ever supposed to be able to control and change settings on your own phone?
What a total shambles this is.
I've had my Apple account since 2011, so that's 15. I think it's quite reasonable to say that I didn't create a MobileMe account when I was 3 years old.
I agree.
It seems poorly thought through. In the US most people have credit cards and there are national IDs. But not in the UK.
One look at me would show that I am decades older than 18. What hair there is left is white and I have wrinkles !
Am I supposed to get a credit card just so I can use the Apple Account I’ve had for well over a decade.
Felipe_felop wrote:
@mac Jim ID
I am afraid that’s just randomly copied web links and doesn’t really help at all. Eg How would I in the UK have a US Passport
I wouldn't say they are randomly copied web links, they are Apple Support articles that have recently been added to account for the Age Assurance laws passed in the UK, and also some other regions. In the US there are 2 states that also require the age verification which is why you see that in the Support Article. What is allowed on your device will depend on your region, so obviously you would not have the option for a US Passport.
I was talking to support about it, and the person I was talking to was adamant that passports were accepted even though they’re not. I can’t believe I need to get a credit card (which I’ll never use), and somehow convince my mother and grandmother (who have never had one) to get one too.
If they accepted passports, that would be fine.
No, I disagree, we shouldn’t have to use passports, this is not fine in any shape or form. This is digital ID by the back door and I promise everyone will regret conforming to this.
I have credit cards and a driving licence, but I don’t use Apple wallet and never will. I did the update just now and it tried 3 times to use facial recognition but conveniently failed to recognise me. Apple, I’m not happy!
I contacted Support and they didn’t even know this was a thing in iOS 26.4. They think this should only show if you have screen time restrictions.
Consequently, they couldn’t help.
I am to contact them later.
This has really shaken my faith in Apple. Where is the straightforward support that is effective and works.
IOS 26.4 How can I pass age verification in the UK without credit card or photo ID.
