Apparatus and a method are disclosed for verifying the identity of applicants applying for documents, issued documents, and the identity of bearers of documents by obtaining information from the applicants, the documents and/or their bearers, identifying which of a plurality of secure, remote databases contain information needed to verifying the obtained information, comparing the obtained information with information stored in the identified database(s) to verifying the obtained information without disclosing database information to any persons, and providing an indication whether or not the obtained information matches the information from the identified database(s).