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
BrotherUrth wrote:
Currently the UK does not require age verification, Apple has jumped the gun. I was reassured by the manager of my local Apple Store today, that with a little patience it will recognise a UK passport. This was nonsense, and goes against Apples own guidelines. This needs to be rectified by Apple asap.
It is the Online Safety Act passed in 2023 where they have given companies until March 25, 2026 to comply and why you are seeing those implemented now with the iOS 26.4 release on that same day.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50
It is not actually age verification where they are looking for your exact age, it is verification to determine if you are over 18. It is OFCOM that has offer suggested methods to do that to comply with the law and Credit Card and Driver's License are 2 of those methods. Debit Cards are specifically not allowed by OFCOM.
It certainly may be true at a later date, Apple will add the Passport as an additional method, but currently the requirements are detailed here:
Age requirements for managing an Apple Account in the UK – Apple Support (UK)
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!
Apple has implemented a faulty system, and so far have not admitted. Currently the UK does not require age verification, Apple has jumped the gun. I was reassured by the manager of my local Apple Store today, that with a little patience it will recognise a UK passport. This was nonsense, and goes against Apples own guidelines. This needs to be rectified by Apple asap.
herbwormwood wrote:
I was trying to find out when I might have create my first apple ID and found this online
"Even if you forget your account email, password, or device passcode, Apple won’t ask you when you created your account, as it has other ways to verify ownership, such as biometrics, your email address, phone number, recovery contact, and more." So how do I actually get this to convince apple I am an adult?
So given I have no photo ID or credit card it looks like I would need to use this method. But being signed in to my apple account obviously doesn't do the trick.
I suggest you contact Apple Support.
So far the only thing I can't do with the iPad is my online grocery shop with the tesco app. The app works on the previous iOS but crashes on the latest iOS. age related item in the grocery aisle? Yet the web browser tesco store lets me shop.
Have you made sure you have the latest version of the app?
herbwormwood wrote:
I was trying to find out when I might have create my first apple ID and found this online
"Even if you forget your account email, password, or device passcode, Apple won’t ask you when you created your account, as it has other ways to verify ownership, such as biometrics, your email address, phone number, recovery contact, and more." So how do I actually get this to convince apple I am an adult?
So given I have no photo ID or credit card it looks like I would need to use this method. But being signed in to my apple account obviously doesn't do the trick.
So far the only thing I can't do with the iPad is my online grocery shop with the tesco app. The app works on the previous iOS but crashes on the latest iOS. age related item in the grocery aisle? Yet the web browser tesco store lets me shop.
Verification using your Apple Account's creation date is automatic. Apple tries that first automatically when you initiate the verification process. If it fails, it won't tell you, it will just move on to the other verification options. If it succeeds it will confirm that it did.
From AppleInsider.com
Just saw your other thread.
Apple now accepts UK Passports
See
If you're asked to confirm that you’re an adult – Apple Support (UK)
"Scan your ID – You can scan your passport (available in Singapore and the UK)*, driver's licence or government-issued ID to confirm that you’re an adult. To help scan your ID successfully, make sure that you’re in a well-lit place (indoors works best). Place your ID against a neutral background and avoid glare. Make sure the image of your ID is clear and in focus before submitting."
You should tell Apple Support that because they are telling people that passports work
Citizen Card, My ID Card & TOTUM ID Cards all charge for issue.
Totum & Young Scot are not applicable to pensioners.
Klarna appears to be an option.
Try updating the software. My apple ID works now and says I am 18+ at last!
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.
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!
IOS 26.4 How can I pass age verification in the UK without credit card or photo ID.
