ID / Photo Collection

The information required from your ID document is:

1. Full name
2. Date of birth
3. Nationality
4. Type of ID document
5. ID document number
6. Country issuing the ID document
7. Expiry date of the ID document
8. ID portrait photo.

MWC Barcelona attracts attendees from hundreds of countries all over the world. As you can imagine, there are a number of differences between the form of ID document issued by individual countries.

As such, we require the entire ID document to be able to ensure its validity (see 'What happens..' in the FAQs). If we only processed the limited data we actually require, it would be impossible to successfully validate the authenticity of the ID document.

We are committed to minimising the data that we collect during “validate and verify”. Where future technology can deliver ID document validation from only partial data contained in an ID document, then we would look to update our registration and entry process accordingly.

No. Only the data identified in the FAQ 'What information is required from my ID document?' is retained in addition with the separate photo you provide.

Our system does not, at any point, collect, process or retain a usable version of your full ID document.

Only valid passports or EU national ID cards are accepted to complete your registration for MWC Barcelona.  Spanish Residence Cards / NIE are not accepted.

Yes. Attendees whose ID document has not been previously validated and whose identity has not been previously verified will not be able to complete their registration, access their Digital Access Pass or enter MWC.

As part of our overall venue and citywide security plan in partnership with the Spanish, Catalan & Barcelona Authorities and the Catalan Police (Cos de Mossos d'Esquadra), we are committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment at MWC. 

This is achieved through our “validate & verify” registration and entry process.

MWC Barcelona is delivered by GSMA in partnership with the Spanish, Catalan & Barcelona Authorities and, from a safety & security perspective, Cos de Mossos d’Esquadra.

The “validate & verify” registration and entry process is the tried, tested and proven way these parties deliver a safe and secure MWC each year. 

When you first present or upload an image of your ID document, it is handled locally on your device. Due to the technical limitations of third-party devices, for validation to take place, certain essential operations are then performed through our secure online registration system.

In line with our privacy-by-design approach, data collection, processing and retention are minimised to the fullest possible extent.

The entire process takes less than a second. Within this fleeting moment, the system performs a series of automated, instantaneous functions. These include receiving, depersonalising and extracting only the necessary information required for verification (with all other data being immediately discarded). These steps occur simultaneously and inseparably, via a single API call.

Given that receipt of the ID document cannot be differentiated in either process or time from the depersonalisation, the extraction of required information and the discarding of obsolete data, our online registration system never retains your full ID document as an identifiable record - the data exists only transiently, solely for the purpose of validation. 
 

We utilise industry-recognised encryption within the systems that collect personal data. Additionally, the GSMA and our venue partner Fira commission a third-party penetration test and systems audit to ensure the security of personal information.

Our “validate & verify” registration and entry process consists of:

1. Validating the authenticity of your ID document to certify your identity (ID Validation) and prevent fraudulent activities such as false representation or identity theft; and
2. Verifying your identity each time you access the venue to ensure that only authorized attendees with a previously validated ID document are granted access to the event.

You can choose to have your ID document validated and your identity verified through any of the following options:

Option 1: Biometric:

The Biometric option enables instant validation of your ID document and instant verification of your identity. You will be requested to present your ID document during your registration. Our online registration system will collect the required information from your ID document and undertake image analysis to compare your ID portrait photo with the separate photo you provide. 

As we will generate and compare biometric information from both photos for the purpose of verifying your identity, we will ask for your consent to the processing of your ID document and biometric information.

Option 2: Non-Biometric:

The Non-Biometric option enables instant validation of your ID document. You will be requested to present your ID document during your registration. Our online registration system will collect the required information from your ID document and a GSMA representative will then visually compare your ID portrait photo with the separate photo you provide to verify your identity. The process of verifying your identity in this manner may take longer. There is no biometric information involved in this option. However, we will ask for your consent to the processing of your ID document

Option 3: Live Video:

The Live Video option involves your ID document being validated and your identity being verified through a video call with a GSMA representative. While you will not be requested to upload your ID document to our online registration system, you will have to present your ID document to the GSMA representative and manually input the required information from your ID document so that it can be entered into our online registration system.

You will also need to provide a separate photo of your face to ensure that your identity can be verified each and every time you access the venue.

This option is subject to availability.

Once your registration is completed, and prior to the event opening, you will be able to access your Digital Access Pass on your mobile device, either within the MWC Series App or your Registration account, in the form of a QR code. When entering the venue each day, our access system will scan the QR code, and the photo of yourself which you provided during registration will be displayed on our screen. Our staff will compare: (i) the photo you provided during registration; and (ii) your face, to verify your identity in order to access the event.