KYC Flow – Identity Verification for Property Payments
As part of Ajar’s expansion and growing oversight from the Central Bank of Kuwait, we introduced an automated KYC (Know Your Customer) process to verify users collecting rent. The goal was to stay compliant, reduce risk, and remove the heavy manual work our support team was doing—all while keeping the user experience smooth and fast.
The Problem
Before this project, verifying users was slow and manual. Our support team had to check documents by hand, which caused delays and left too much room for error.
We needed a way to:
Confirm users were legally involved in real estate (not just sending money to anyone)
Stay in line with Central Bank of Kuwait regulations
Scale the process without overwhelming our team or frustrating users
My Role
I worked on this project as a Product Designer, working closely with operations, compliance, and engineering. My responsibilities included:
Researching KYC requirements with legal consultants
Mapping out edge cases and fallback paths
Defining a user-friendly KYC flow with contingencies for incomplete or manual cases.
Integrating Onfido’s biometric and document verification API, including real-time feedback and multi-step logic.
Designed an intuitive wizard experience with contextual help, tooltips, and flows tailored by user type (individual or company).
Research & Insights
We spoke with:
Support agents handling KYC issues
Legal advisors on CBK regulations
Users who had recently been onboarded
Here’s what we found:
Many users didn’t understand why KYC was needed
The existing manual process was slow and required a lot of back and forth with the client
People dropped off if verification took too long or failed without explanation
We also learned that some users didn’t have documents ready, so we had to offer a manual upload option as a fallback.
User Flow
We designed a wizard-style flow that guides users step-by-step, with clear language and real-time validation. It adapts based on the user type:
Start KYC Flow
Users are prompted to verify their identity before collecting payments
Role-Based Rules
Individuals, agents, and companies see different document requirements based on their role
Documents are matched with expected real estate categories only
Onfido Integration
Instant ID check + facial recognition
If successful, user is verified and can proceed
Fallback Flow
If Onfido fails, users can upload documents manually (e.g., civil ID, property ownership proof)
Support team reviews and approves in the dashboard
Admin Dashboard
Internal teams get visibility into KYC status, progress, and red flags
Core Features
Automated Verification: Onfido integration for fast ID and face checks
Fallback Option: Manual uploads for edge cases or failed attempts
Smart Logic: Tailored requirements based on user role
Admin Tools: Dashboard to track KYC status and flag suspicious accounts
User Guidance: Contextual help built into the flow
What I Learned
Compliance can be user-friendly. With clear copy and logical steps, users didn’t feel like the process was a burden.
Fallbacks matter. Not everyone can complete biometric verification—supporting these users kept our funnel open.
Internal tools are just as important. Giving the support team visibility and controls helped maintain momentum during onboarding.
Outcome
Cut manual verification workload by over 60%
85% of users completed KYC in under 5 minutes
Reached full compliance with CBK regulations
Opened the door for financial partnerships with payment providers who require automated KYC
