How can I verify my age without a credit card, national ID, or driver's license?

I have a birth certificate

We're a few weeks on and this situation continues. My wife has no credit cards and still has her paper UK Licence. After many, many hours on the phone to Apple yesterday the result is basically "Couldn't care less, your government requested this".

As a US company it is interesting to see that various articles from Apple telling us how to add drivers licence, passport and so on in the UK normally end in very, very small print which owns up to all these instructions ONLY applying in the US, and frequently only certain states.

What a complete shambols this is, and unfortunately highlights the apparent contempt for 'non US' owners of their products this company seems to be exhibiting.

How can a Government Issued Passport in the UK be considered 'unsuitable' as proof of age? Paricularly as the iPhone NFC system is perfectly capable of scanning it electronically?

Special relationship?

Hello,

The only way to do this is with a credit card (UK debit cards won't work) or ID, though I've heard that UK passports may not be accepted, although I could be wrong. A UK driving licence, however, will work.

I was able to verify mine based on the age of my Apple ID account, so I didn't need to provide anything further. If this is an option for your account, Apple will handle it automatically during the process. You cannot specifically request that they use your Apple ID account age.

Thanks,

WishForAll

Same here no credit cards or driving licence, spent 2 hours trying to scan my passport and chipped disability ID , spent another 2 hours on the phone to the Apple Tec and they said there isn’t anything they can do !! Apple shouldn’t have released this update in the UK until the software was able to except a passport I’m so ****** off !!

Hello,

I understand this is very frustrating, but please try to stay calm. You are still able to use your device.

I can say with complete confidence that it works with a valid, in-date UK driving licence (the pink photocard version). Is that something you have?

Thanks,

WishForAll

No I’m disabled I don’t go out ive no credit card or driving license we have no ID card in the UK I’ve spent over an hour on the phone and they were useless ive a government disability card chipped photo date of birth and a passport, I’ve had an apple account since 2008 I’m so fed up

This is not true (not what you’re saying, it’s not true what Apple are saying) there is no government requirement for this. However ofcom have released a statement saying they approve of it and will seek government approval to make it law so all phones will do this

Apple mining data, refusing to accept a UK Passport but quite happy to accept a credit card.......... that you add to your Apple wallet!!

The claim it's UK Government Policy is also a lie, websites have to verify the ages of people accessing them, Apple threw the onus on phone or ipad owners to prove they are over eighteen. The elephant in the room being when your fourteen year old borrows mums phone and has the passcode the Apple argument is flat on its face.

It's ridiculous. I've just upgraded my phone from an iPhone 16 Pro Max to an iPhone 17 Pro Max. I gave my old phone to my mother who is 86 years old. She has no driving licence or credit card. All she has is a bus pass with her photo on it or an old passport. We're stuck because she can't confirm she's an adult. She's 86. 😂

TheCatsDad wrote:

It's ridiculous. I've just upgraded my phone from an iPhone 16 Pro Max to an iPhone 17 Pro Max. I gave my old phone to my mother who is 86 years old. She has no driving licence or credit card. All she has is a bus pass with her photo on it or an old passport. We're stuck because she can't confirm she's an adult. She's 86. 😂

Unless she needs adult sites she will be just fine as a "teenager". Just don't bother to prove age.

Personally I use credit card for the section 75 protection on purchases. I am 74. Ask her bank for a credit card. No need to use it.

I’ve been an apple user since 2002 why does apple not know this?

Does it accept the old paper driving license, I passed over 40 years ago

Just spoke to Apple again they said it’s the government’s requirement so obviously pushing people to get the ID card through even though most people don’t want it!

What part is not true?

They literally said they don’t