Registration troubleshooting
Fix SIM Registration ID Upload, OCR and Selfie Errors
Diagnose rejected IDs, incorrect OCR, face-match and liveness failures safely across Globe, TM, Smart, TNT, DITO and GOMO—without editing documents or exposing them to a third party.
Use an unexpired photo ID offered by the carrier’s live form, match every typed field to that ID, photograph the complete document in even light and complete the selfie/liveness step yourself. Correct OCR mistakes before submitting. If the carrier rejects a genuine eligible document after a clean retry, stop repeating the form and use official support or assisted registration; never alter the ID or upload it to a “fixer.”
Why carriers ask for an ID and selfie
RA 11934 requires a valid government-issued photo ID or similar identity document and a declaration that the information is genuine. Carriers add selfie, liveness, OCR and face-matching checks to validate the registrant and reduce fraudulent submissions.
The National Privacy Commission says selfie verification must follow transparency, legitimate purpose, proportionality and other Data Privacy Act safeguards. The check is not permission for a third-party guide or seller to collect a face image.
| Check | What it does | What the user must review |
|---|---|---|
| ID menu | Limits the document types the live carrier system currently processes. | Choose the exact document, version and registrant category. |
| OCR | Extracts text such as name, birth date or ID number from the image. | Correct every recognition error before attesting. |
| Selfie | Captures the person completing registration. | Full face, genuine live image, no filter or impersonation. |
| Liveness | Checks that a live person follows movement prompts rather than presenting a static image. | Camera permission, lighting and exact on-screen movement. |
| Face match | Compares the live face with the photo on the submitted ID. | Use the registrant’s own current ID and unobstructed face. |
Before trying the upload again
- Confirm the portal domain or app publisher belongs to the carrier.
- Choose the correct user category: Filipino adult, parent/guardian, tourist, other foreign national or organization.
- Use an ID displayed in the live carrier menu and check that it is unexpired.
- Clean the camera lens and use a stable, private connection.
- Allow camera/photo access only for the official app or browser session.
- Remove filters, beauty mode, overlays and editing effects.
- Have the form spelling match the document, including suffix and name order.
- Read the current on-screen file type and size limit; there is no safe universal limit across carriers and products.
ID upload and OCR errors
| Error or symptom | Likely cause | Safe fix |
|---|---|---|
| ID type is not in the menu | The carrier validator does not currently expose that document or the wrong user category is selected. | Recheck the category and use another genuine accepted ID, or ask carrier support about assisted verification. |
| Expired ID rejected | The document is no longer current. | Use an unexpired accepted document. Do not change the expiry date in an image editor. |
| Image is blurry | Motion, dirty lens, focus or low light. | Place the ID flat, hold the phone steady, tap to focus and retake in even light. |
| Glare hides text or photo | Direct flash or overhead reflection. | Move the light to the side, avoid glossy reflections and keep the ID evenly lit. |
| Document edges are cut off | Camera is too close or auto-crop removed fields. | Retake with all four edges and required sides visible. |
| Wrong file type or too large | The selected file does not meet the live product limit. | Use the camera/file option and exact limit displayed by that carrier. Do not publish one limit as universal. |
| OCR spells the name incorrectly | Stylized print, glare, low resolution or name-order recognition. | Retake clearly, then edit the extracted fields to match the ID before submission. |
| Details do not match | The form, OCR result and ID differ in name, birth date, address or ID number. | Correct typing/OCR. If the legal record changed, use the carrier’s registration-update process. |
| Digital or paper National ID fails | Carrier/product validator or image-quality issue, not necessarily ineligibility. | Use the official format and carrier instructions; try another carrier-listed ID or assisted support rather than declaring the format invalid everywhere. |
| Upload stops or loops | Connection, permission, browser/app or carrier-platform problem. | Keep evidence of the error, update/reopen the official app or browser and retry later or use support. Do not repeat indefinitely. |
Selfie, liveness and face-match errors
| Error or symptom | Safe fix |
|---|---|
| Camera is black or unavailable | Grant camera permission only to the official app/site, close another app using the camera and reopen the registration step. |
| Face is not detected | Face the camera directly, include the full face, use a plain background and even front lighting. |
| Liveness action fails | Follow the current prompt slowly and naturally. DITO, for example, documents actions such as blinking, opening the mouth or moving the head; do not perform a memorized sequence if the app asks for something else. |
| Selfie and ID do not match | Use the registrant’s own current ID, remove filters and face obstructions and ensure the ID photo is clear. Contact support if appearance has materially changed. |
| Glasses, cap or mask block the face | Remove nonessential obstructions when safe and permitted, then follow the live carrier instruction. |
| Image is overexposed or shadowed | Move away from a bright window behind the face and use soft light from the front. |
| App keeps asking for another selfie | Stop after reasonable clean attempts, retain the error and use official carrier support rather than sending a selfie elsewhere. |
| Minor cannot complete verification | The SIM is registered under the parent or legal guardian; follow that adult’s identity path instead of trying to register the minor as an adult. |
| Foreigner’s face/document path fails | Check that the foreign-national category and passport/visa documents were selected; use carrier support rather than a Filipino-document workaround. |
Smart’s official photo guide recommends facing the camera, including the full face, using good lighting and a plain background. These are preparation tips, not a guarantee that the carrier will approve a submission.
Carrier-specific differences
| Network | Officially documented checks | When the clean retry fails |
|---|---|---|
| Globe / TM | Selfie, accepted ID, OCR/data matching and a declaration. Globe publishes a product-specific image limit for one Home WiFi flow; it is not universal. | Use Globe’s support or store route and retain the reference/error. |
| Smart / TNT | ID photo and selfie; Smart’s registration materials explain matching the registered name to the ID and its official photo guide gives capture advice. | Use Smart Help or a Smart Store; do not upload to an unofficial verifier. |
| DITO | DITO documents face liveness, a live selfie, OCR and facial comparison in DITO App. | Use DITO App live chat or DITO’s Help Center and identify the exact failing stage. |
| GOMO | Registration is app-led and uses the current GOMO PH document/selfie flow. | Use GOMO PH in-app support. No current public source reviewed confirms a universal file-size workaround. |
One clean retry, step by step
Save the exact error without exposing data
Record the wording and step. Crop or redact personal fields before sharing a screenshot with anyone other than the carrier.
Confirm the official platform and user category
Wrong carrier, foreigner/minor category or stale app screens can make a genuine document appear unsupported.
Use a live accepted ID
Check expiry, document type and required side(s) against the current menu.
Retake the ID cleanly
Flat surface, all edges, even light, sharp focus, no glare and no image editing.
Correct OCR before continuing
Compare every extracted field with the document. Do not attest while a known error remains.
Complete the live face step
Use the registrant’s face, a clean lens, camera permission and the current prompt.
Submit once and retain the result
Save the reference or exact failure. Avoid rapid repeated attempts that may trigger a carrier control.
Escalate through official support
Give the carrier the error wording, number/account verification and document type through its secure process.
What never to do
- Do not Photoshop, sharpen text into different characters or change an ID field.
- Do not use another person’s ID or selfie.
- Do not photograph an image of a face on another screen.
- Do not submit a fake address or wrong registrant category to bypass a field.
- Do not send the raw ID/selfie to a seller, Facebook reply or guide website.
- Do not trust a claimed “100% approved” converter or compressed-ID service.
- Do not attest to information you know is wrong; RA 11934 penalizes false or fictitious registration information and fraudulent IDs.
Frequently asked questions
Which ID should I upload?
Use an unexpired document offered in the live carrier menu. See the accepted-ID guide.
Why is OCR showing the wrong name?
Glare, image quality, document typography or name order can affect extraction. Retake clearly and correct the fields before submitting.
Can I edit the ID photo to improve it?
Do not alter document content. Retake the original in better lighting and use the carrier’s supported capture/file method.
Why does a valid National ID fail?
The issue can be image quality or automated format support. Use the carrier’s official format guidance, another listed ID or assisted support.
How do I pass a liveness check?
Use the real registrant, grant camera access, face the camera in even light and follow the live movement prompt.
Can a minor use their own selfie and school ID?
RA 11934 requires the SIM to be registered under the parent or legal guardian, not as an independent minor adult registration.
How many times should I retry?
No universal retry limit is published for every carrier. Make one careful retry, then use official support rather than triggering repeated failures.
Primary sources
- Republic Act No. 11934
- NPC statement on SIM-registration selfie verification
- Globe ID, selfie and registration instructions
- Globe OCR and data-matching explanation
- Smart official ID and selfie photo guide
- Smart registration privacy notice and identity checks
- DITO liveness, live selfie, OCR and face-matching explanation