Photo matching

When you book a stay or Experience—or when you become a Host—we may need to verify your personal information, such as your legal name, address, phone number, and other contact details. 

We may also ask for a photo of your Government ID and/or a selfie to match with your Government ID. 

Learn more about the identity verification process.

Government ID and selfies

If we ask you to provide a selfie, we’ll match your photo with the picture from the Government ID you provided. This helps us confirm you’re really you.

No facial matching process is completely accurate every time. The effectiveness of this process can vary based on the quality and resolution of the photos—and changes in a person’s appearance between the two photos (for example, change in age, change in weight, or different outfit).

As a result, this process may sometimes “match” photos that are not in fact of the same person, or fail to match photos that are of the same person. Fraudulent individuals may circumvent even the most sophisticated and diligent efforts to match photos submitted for comparison.

Note: Identity verification by Airbnb isn’t an endorsement, a guarantee of someone’s identity, or an assurance that interacting with them will be safe. Always use your own best judgment, and follow our safety tips for guests and Hosts.