A U.S. Social Security number is not necessarily required for an international iRemoteNotary session. The supported international workflow uses biometric identity verification on compatible platforms rather than treating U.S.-based knowledge questions as the primary path.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed September 5, 2026
A U.S. Social Security number or ITIN is not always required for an international iRemoteNotary session. Where the supported international workflow applies, the signer may use a current government-issued photo ID, including a foreign passport when the platform can analyze it, with credential analysis and biometric identity verification. Some domestic workflows still use knowledge-based questions, and a title company or lender may still require them.
A valid foreign passport may be usable, but verification is not guaranteed. The signer still needs a supported current government-issued photo ID, the credential must pass the platform's required checks, the document must be eligible for remote online notarization, and the receiving party must accept the electronically notarized document.
International sessions commonly start at $50 for one signer and one notarization. The next step is the international online notary hub, where an eligible signer can submit a session request.
A Social Security number, identification credential, identity-proofing method, document eligibility, and recipient acceptance are separate issues.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| U.S. SSN required? | Not necessarily. |
| U.S. credit history required? | Not necessarily for the supported biometric international workflow. |
| Current photo ID required? | Yes, a supported government-issued credential is required. |
| Foreign passport? | May be usable subject to platform support and verification. |
| Biometric verification? | Used in iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow on compatible platforms. |
| Every document eligible? | No. |
| Recipient acceptance guaranteed? | No. |
People living or traveling abroad often assume that online notarization is unavailable because they do not have a U.S. Social Security number. That assumption usually comes from seeing identity systems that ask U.S.-centric questions or rely on domestic data sources.
The important distinction is between a specific platform's verification method and the legal and practical requirements for a remote notarization.
For iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow, lack of a U.S. Social Security number does not by itself prevent a signer from requesting U.S.-based remote online notarization for an eligible U.S.-related document.
Continue at the international online notary hub to request a session. For the identification credential, read using a foreign passport and international signer ID options. Related guides: non-U.S. citizens, KBA problems abroad, notarizing U.S. documents while abroad, and U.S. embassy notarization versus online notarization.
Not necessarily. A U.S. Social Security number is not itself a photo identification credential, and it is not the identity evidence used in iRemoteNotary's supported international biometric workflow.
When a Florida-commissioned online notary acts under Florida law, Florida Statutes § 117.265 requires remote presentation of a government-issued identification credential, credential analysis, and identity proofing when the principal is not personally known to the online notary. Those provisions do not establish possession of a U.S. Social Security number as a standalone requirement for every online notarization.
A specific provider's technology may still impose practical verification limitations. The absence of an SSN requirement does not mean every signer without an SSN will be approved.
A Social Security number, identification credential, identity-proofing method, document eligibility, and recipient acceptance are separate issues. Not having a U.S. SSN does not automatically make a person ineligible for international remote online notarization, but the signer must still successfully complete the identity-verification process required by the applicable workflow.
A passport number, tax identification number, and Social Security number are also not interchangeable. Follow the secure identity-verification instructions provided for the actual session rather than sending unnecessary sensitive identifiers.
Some U.S.-oriented identity-proofing systems use knowledge-based questions derived from U.S. data sources. Signers who have little or no U.S. credit or public-record history can have difficulty with those workflows.
That is why an international signer may encounter a service that asks for information he or she simply does not have. The failure of one identity method should not be confused with a universal rule that online notarization requires an SSN. Read why KBA often fails for signers abroad.
This is not a claim that knowledge-based authentication is illegal, and it is not a claim that Florida prohibits KBA. Different lawful identity-proofing methods exist. The practical question is which method a particular workflow uses.
Some U.S.-oriented identity-proofing systems use knowledge-based questions derived from U.S. data sources. iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow instead uses biometric identity verification on compatible platforms for international signers.
The signer generally presents a current supported government-issued photo ID, completes credential analysis of that credential, and completes biometric identity verification. The session cannot proceed if credential analysis fails, biometric verification fails, the platform does not support the credential, or the signer cannot appear by live audio-video communication.
Citizenship is a separate question from whether the signer has an SSN. Read whether a non-U.S. citizen may use a U.S. online notary.
An international signer still has to prove identity. Removing an SSN requirement does not mean identity verification is skipped. A supported international session generally requires:
The goal is still to establish that the person appearing online is the genuine holder of the identity credential presented.
A supported foreign passport may provide the government-issued identity evidence used in an international verification workflow. The passport still has to be supported and successfully validated.
A foreign passport is not guaranteed to work merely because it is valid. Verification support can differ by country and credential type.
Read when a foreign passport may be used for a U.S. online notarization.
iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow uses biometric identity verification on compatible remote-online-notarization platforms. The platform may compare information from the presented credential with biometric information captured during the identity-verification process.
Applicable law requires compliant credential analysis and identity proofing when personal knowledge is not used. That is separate from iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow using biometrics on compatible platforms. Do not read that workflow choice as a claim that Florida law specifically mandates biometrics.
U.S. credit history is not necessarily required for the supported biometric international workflow. The workflow is designed around a supported government-issued photo ID and biometric verification rather than assuming that every signer has a U.S. credit or public-record footprint.
Lack of U.S. credit history can still matter on a different platform that uses U.S.-based knowledge questions. That is a method difference, not a rule that every online notarization requires U.S. credit history.
If the platform cannot successfully analyze or verify the identification credential, the online notarization cannot proceed through that workflow. The notary cannot override a failed identity check.
A clear, current credential, good lighting, a compatible device, and a stable internet connection may help, but they do not guarantee approval. Depending on the document and destination, alternatives may include another supported credential or an in-person notarial service. Compare online notarization with U.S. embassy or consulate notarization.
No. The signer's Social Security number and the document's eligibility are separate issues. A document still needs the correct notarial act, proper execution, any required witnesses, and a format the receiving party will accept.
Not every U.S.-related document qualifies for remote online notarization. Passport forms, court filings, recordable instruments, wet-ink documents, and forms controlled by a government agency or receiving institution can have separate requirements. Some government forms, including Form DS-3053 for child passport consent, have their own notarization rules and country-specific requirements.
The receiving party may care about the document, the notarial format, witnesses, originals, apostilles, or authentication. Those questions are separate from whether the signer has a U.S. Social Security number.
Recipient acceptance is not guaranteed. A completed remote online notarization can still be declined by a bank, title company, court, government agency, university, business, recorder, or foreign institution. Read whether a U.S. online notarization may be accepted in another country.
Even with successful international identity verification, remote notarization may not be appropriate for every document. A recipient may insist on wet-ink signatures, original paper documents, local witnesses, consular notarization, or another procedure.
Documents intended for use outside the United States can also require apostille, authentication, or legalization after notarization. When the recipient's instructions conflict with the proposed RON workflow, resolve that issue before signing.
Physical location remains a separate question. See the guide to notarizing U.S. documents while abroad.
A typical international iRemoteNotary session follows these steps:
International signers can submit their document and identification details for review before scheduling. A supported international workflow may use credential analysis and biometric verification rather than treating U.S.-based knowledge questions as the primary path.
No. A U.S. Social Security number is not necessarily required for an international iRemoteNotary session. The signer still needs a supported current government-issued photo ID and must successfully complete identity verification.
Not necessarily. The supported international workflow uses biometric identity verification on compatible platforms rather than assuming that every signer has a U.S. credit or public-record footprint.
iRemoteNotary's supported international workflow uses biometric identity verification on compatible platforms. The signer presents a supported government-issued photo ID, completes credential analysis, and completes biometric verification.
No. If the platform cannot successfully analyze or verify the identification credential, the online notarization cannot proceed through that workflow. The notary cannot override a failed identity check.
A supported foreign passport may be usable as government-issued identity evidence. The passport must still be compatible with the verification technology and pass the required credential and biometric checks.
No. Document eligibility and recipient acceptance remain separate questions. Not every U.S.-related document qualifies for remote online notarization.
Different providers use different identity-verification technologies. Some U.S.-oriented systems use knowledge-based questions derived from U.S. data sources. A requirement imposed by one provider should not automatically be interpreted as a rule that every online notarization requires an SSN.
A Canadian citizen may be able to complete an eligible U.S. document notarization online without a U.S. Social Security number or ITIN. A valid Canadian passport may be usable for identity verification in an eligible international workflow. The identity-verification method and receiving-party requirements still control. International sessions commonly start at $50 for one signer and one notarization. Continue with the Canada online notary page or using a foreign passport.
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Florida Senate
Accessed September 5, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.265 — Online Notarization Procedures(opens in a new tab)
Florida Senate
Accessed September 5, 2026
Remote Online Notary Public(opens in a new tab)
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
Accessed September 5, 2026
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Accessed September 5, 2026
Notarial and Authentication Services Abroad(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State
Accessed September 5, 2026
Submit your unsigned document, location, and identification details for review. iRemoteNotary can determine whether the supported international verification workflow is appropriate for your session.