BVN is an 11 digit number issued upon registration and acts as your pass in all commercial banks in Nigeria.
The decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement Bank Verification Number (BVN) was due to the irregularities in the banking system.
There have been compromises that eventually call for the introduction of the Bank Verification Number (BVN). Among them are identity theft, fraudulent activities and money laundering.
To make this happen, biometric technologies have been fully utilized. Biometrics refers to the metrics relating to human being attributes. Biometrics has been completely utilized in that it can now be used to digitally identify a person so they can have access as it has been seen with modern smartphones.
As noticed when we want to have access to our phones using the fingerprint feature, voice, and facial recognition. The fingerprint feature has been the most effective because two individuals can not have the same fingerprints. It was even said that fingerprints are even more unique than deoxyribonucleic acid, also known as DNA.
It is not difficult to understand why the Central Bank of Nigeria enforced a centralized biometric identification system on February 14, 2014. The bank verification number has already lived up to its expectations by being the first means of identification of persons who own a bank account in Nigeria, verifying and curtailing widespread fraudulent activities.
What you know about Bank Verification Number (BVN)
- An individual may be asked to make available their biometrics features which will be used to crosscheck their information in the database.
- To be enrolled, individuals must provide a valid ID card for verification.
- After registration, a biometric verification number (BVN) will be issued to all individuals and linked to all their bank accounts.
- Failure to register for BVN might temporarily prohibit an individual from operating his or her account.
- An individual that has already registered and issued a unique ID number can check the bvn number on his or her registered number or from a dedicated banking app.
Is BVN enrolment free?
Registering for BVN is completely free. To start your registration process at any bank, endeavour to go with your valid ID card. Driver’s Licence, National ID Card, International Passport and Voter card remains the most acceptable ID card for official purposes in Nigeria.
For Online Integrated Solution (OIS) centres, the BVN enrollment form can be downloaded online. Still, any government-issued ID card, one passport photograph and enrolment fee will have to be tendered before being registered.
Realise that BVN expires after 10 years. After 10 years, an individual will be required to go to his or her bank and re-enrol as so to continue using the banking service.
Failure to do so might result in his or her bank account(s) being temporarily suspended. However, your BVN number remains the same for life.
How to apply for BVN
It only takes a few procedures to enrol for a bank verification number, below are the steps to register for your BVN;
- Go to any bank of your choice and ask for a BVN enrolment officer.
- Ask for the BVN enrolment form from the bank representative or BVN enrolment officer.
- A form will be provided to you which you are expected to fill and submit on the same spot.
- Data capturing will be carried out by the agent. Data capturing will include fingerprint capture, facial image, data collection and your signature.
- After the whole process, you will be given an acknowledgement slip which can also be used for the query when your BVN is ready.
- In 24 hours and not more than 48 hours, your BVN number will be sent to your phone. If you do not receive it by then, visit the bank.
- For customers abroad, you are expected to visit the address in your territory to register for BVN. Go with a valid ID card, or passport photograph, also know that a fee will be charged.
Note: individuals living in Nigeria would be able to check their BVN number using *565*0# from the mobile number linked with their BVN. It can also be checked online or from the banks.
BVN enrolment centres for customers abroad/foreign countries
Below are the addresses and contact details for individuals who wish to do bvn registration outside Nigeria :
#1. United States of America
Atlanta: OIS Services, Suite 204, 918 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, Atlanta, GA 30076.
Enrolment fee: $45 (money)
Dallas: TX, USA (Permanent location) Accondu Consulting 9450 Skillman Street Suite #120, Dallas, TX, 75243.
E-mail: tx@avanteglobalservices.com
Phone number: +1 (214) 763 5409.
Houston: OIS Services, Suite 745, 9894 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77036.
Enrolment fee: $45 (money order in favour of online platforms)
Los Angeles: OIS Services, Suite 302, 11222 S. La Cienega Blvd Inglewood, CA. 90304.
Enrolment fee: $45 (money order in favour of online platforms)
Phone number: +1 213 705 2978.
New Jersey: USA (Permanent location) 70 Washington Road Princeton Junction, NJ 08550.
E-mail: nj@avanteglobalservices.com. Phone number: +1609 799 8896.
New York: 370 Lexington Ave, Suite 1505 New York, NY 10017.
Enrolment fee: $45 (Credit or debit card, money order in favour of online integrated solutions)
Tel: +1 917 900 1114.
Washington: OIS, Washington DMV, 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 160, Rockville, MD, 20852.
Enrolment fee: $45 (money order in favour of other payment systems)
Phone number: +1 301-231-7000.
#2. United Kingdom
Leicester: OIS Services, St Georges House, 6 St Georges Way, Leicester LE1 1SH, UK.
Enrolment fee: £30 (Card payment only)
Phone number: +44 (0) 7495 002 032.
London: OIS Services, 56-57 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1JU, UK.
Enrolment fee: £30 (Card payment only).
Phone number: +44 (0) 20 7832 0001.
#3. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Dubai: OIS SERVICES,22A (22nd floor), Silver Tower, Cluster I, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, U.A.E.
Enrolment fee: 180 AED
Phone number: +971 4 276 5448.
#4. Turkey
Ankara: OIS Services Danismanlik Ltd. Sri Kazim Ozalo MH. Koza SK. No:35/3 Cankaya/Ankara.
Enrolment fee: 130 Turkish Lira (Cash or Card)
Phone number: 00903124382175, 00903124382176.
#5. Netherlands
The Hague: OIS Services First Floor Koningin Juliana Plein 10 2595 AA Den Haag Central Station, The Netherlands. Enrolment fee: €40
Email: infothehague@oisservices.com. Telephone no: 0031708915324.
#6. Tanzania
Dar es Salaam: Tanzania (Permanent location) Suite B106, 1st-floor Alwahda Business Complex, Bibi Titi Mohamed Road, Opp. Mnanzi Mmoja bus stop City Center, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
E-mail: tz@avanteglobalservices.com.
Phone no: +255766583871.
#7. South Africa
Johannesburg: OIS SERVICES, 6 Bolton Road Parkwood Rosebank, 2193. Johannesburg, SA.
Enrolment fee: R615 (Debit or Credit Card)
Telephone number: +27 112682376; +27 112682470.
#8. Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: VFS Global, Dove Plaza (Hyper Panda), Umm Al Hamam Street, Riyadh.
#9. New Zealand
Auckland: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) 87-89 Albert Street, Ground Level, Suite 2, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
#10. Lebanon
Kuala Lumpur: OIS Services, Jnah-Beirut Opposite Rafik Hariri University Hospital Mais 6 Building- 3Rd Floor P.O.Box 9 UNESCO
Enrolment fee: $45 or 68000 Lebanese Pounds.
Email: infobeirut@oisservices.com. Telephone no: 009611845138.
#11. Kenya
Nairobi: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) 5th Floor, Parkfield Building, Muthangari Drive, Off Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi.
#12. Italy
Rome: Online Integrated Solutions S.R.L., Via Sicilia, 30 00187 Rome, Italy.
Enrolment fee: €40 (Credit or Debit card only)
#13. India
Mumbai: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) Urmi Axis Building, Third Floor, Behind Famous Studio, Opp. E Moses Road.
New Delhi: OIS Services, C/O Central Board of Irrigation & Power Plot No. 4, Ground Floor, Institutional Area Opp.: Sarvodaya School Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110021, Delhi, India.
Enrolment fee: Rs3420
Tel: +91 880 053 0119
#14. France
Paris: 7 Rue Daru 75008 Paris, France (1st Floor ).
Enrolment fee: €40 (Cash)
Telephone no: +33758077611
#15. China
Beijing: OIS SERVICES, Unit 1 Suite 1801, Kun Sha Building, 16 Xin Yuan Li Str, Chaoyang District, Beijing PRC.
Enrolment fee: RMB300
Phone no: +86-1084004549
Guangzhou: OIS SERVICES, Unit 27/28, 41st Floor, R&F To-Win Building, 30 Huaxia Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou PRC.
Enrolment fee: RMB300
Tel: +86-2089196634
Shanghai: OIS SERVICES, Room 2025, 22/F, Catic Building, 212 Jiangning Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, PRC.
Enrolment fee: RMB300
Telephone number: +86-2122306696
Shenzhen: China (Permanent location) Avante Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. 3/F, Building 7, Industrial Zone, Citang Village, Shang Mei Lin, Shenzhen, China.
E-mail: sz@avanteglobalservices.com
Phone number: +0755-83763739
#16. Canada
Vancouver: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) 580 Hornby Street – Unit 440 Vancouver, BC, V6C 3B6 Canada.
#17. Australia
Melbourne: VFS Global (BVN enrolment Centre) Suite 4, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria – 3000.
