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# Create a verification session

POST https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions
Content-Type: application/json

Creates a new verification session and returns a `capture_url` that you
redirect (or embed) for the end user to complete identity verification.

**Required scope:** `sessions:create` or `sessions:write`


Reference: https://docs.withverifa.com/api-reference/sessions/create-session

## Authentication

- `X-API-Key` header (required) — Organization API key. Keys are prefixed with `vk_live_` (production) or `vk_sandbox_` (sandbox).

## Request

### Headers

- `Idempotency-Key` (string, optional) — Unique key for idempotent requests. Cached for 24 hours. Sending the same key with different parameters returns `422`.
- `Verifa-Version` (date, optional) — API version date string (e.g. `2026-02-01`). If omitted, the version pinned to your API key is used.
- `Key-Inflection` (enum, optional, default: snake) — Response key casing. Defaults to `snake`.
  - Allowed values: `camel`, `kebab`, `snake`

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects a CreateSessionRequest.

- `external_ref` (string, optional) — Your internal reference for this user or transaction.
- `metadata` (map from string to any, optional) — Arbitrary key-value metadata attached to the session. Up to 50 keys; each individual value is capped at **16 KB** of UTF-8 when serialized. Requests exceeding either bound return `422`.
- `country` (string, optional) — ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code for document expectations.
- `checks` (list of string, optional) — Per-session check overrides. If omitted, the workflow's default checks are used.
- `workflow_id` (string, optional) — Workflow to use for this session.
- `redirect_url` (string, optional) — URL to redirect the user to after capture is complete.
- `send_email` (boolean, optional, default: false) — Send an email invitation to the applicant with a link to complete verification. Requires `applicant_email` to be set (either at the top level or under `metadata.applicant_email`).
- `applicant_email` (string, optional) — Email address to send the verification invitation to. Only used when `send_email` is `true`. Falls back to `metadata.applicant_email` if not provided at the top level.
- `applicant_name` (string, optional) — Display name for the applicant. Used to personalize the opener of the invitation email ("Jane Doe, please click..."). Only used when `send_email` is `true`.
- `display_name` (string, optional) — Override the brand name shown in the invitation email's subject line and body for this session only. Defaults to your organization's configured email display name, or your organization name. Useful when sending under a sub-brand. Only used when `send_email` is `true`.
- `support_url` (string, optional) — Override the support link shown in the invitation email's recovery sentence ("contact support to have a new link sent") for this session only. Defaults to your organization's configured verification support URL. Must be an `http` or `https` URL. Only used when `send_email` is `true`.
- `expires_in` (integer, optional) — Session expiration in minutes. Determines how long the capture URL remains valid. Minimum 10 minutes, maximum 4320 (72 hours). Defaults to 1440 (24 hours) if not specified.
- `fields` (PrefillFields, optional) — Optional pre-fill values written into session capture data on create. Values are stored encrypted at rest. Pre-filling does not auto-complete capture steps — the user still walks through the capture flow. Each field accepts both the canonical snake_case name and the kebab-case alias shown in parentheses.

## Response

### 201

Session created.

- `id` (string, required) — Session ID.
- `status` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `pending`, `capturing`, `processing`, `sandbox_pending`, `completed`, `expired`, `failed`, `awaiting_external`, `under_review`
- `capture_url` (string, required) — URL to redirect the end user for identity capture.
- `is_sandbox` (boolean, required) — Whether this is a sandbox session.
- `created_at` (datetime, required)
- `expires_at` (datetime, required)
- `external_ref` (string, optional, nullable)
- `qr_code_data_url` (string, optional, nullable) — Base64-encoded QR code PNG pointing to the capture URL.
- `tags` (list of string, optional) — Free-form tags attached to this session.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Invalid request parameters.

- `error` (string, required) — Short error code.
- `status_code` (integer, required) — HTTP status code.
- `detail` (string, optional) — Human-readable error description.

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Missing or invalid API key.

- `error` (string, required) — Short error code.
- `status_code` (integer, required) — HTTP status code.
- `detail` (string, optional) — Human-readable error description.

### 422 Unprocessable Entity Error

Request validation failed.

- `error` (string, required) — Short error code.
- `status_code` (integer, required) — HTTP status code.
- `detail` (string, optional) — Human-readable error description.

### 429 Too Many Requests Error

Too many requests.

- `error` (string, required) — Short error code.
- `status_code` (integer, required) — HTTP status code.
- `detail` (string, optional) — Human-readable error description.

## Types

### PrefillFields

Optional pre-fill values written into session capture data on create. Values are stored encrypted at rest. Pre-filling does not auto-complete capture steps — the user still walks through the capture flow. Each field accepts both the canonical snake_case name and the kebab-case alias shown in parentheses.

- `first_name` (string, optional) — First name (alias `name-first`).
- `last_name` (string, optional) — Last name (alias `name-last`).
- `date_of_birth` (string, optional) — ISO 8601 date `YYYY-MM-DD` (alias `birthdate`).
- `email` (string, optional) — Applicant email (alias `email-address`).
- `phone` (string, optional) — E.164 phone number recommended (alias `phone-number`).
- `ssn` (string, optional) — 9-digit US SSN (alias `social-security-number`). Dashes and spaces are accepted and preserved as-provided.
- `address_line1` (string, optional) — Street address line 1 (alias `address-street-1`).
- `address_line2` (string, optional) — Street address line 2 (alias `address-street-2`).
- `address_city` (string, optional) — City (alias `address-city`).
- `address_state` (string, optional) — State / subdivision (alias `address-subdivision`).
- `address_zip` (string, optional) — Postal code (alias `address-postal-code`).
- `address_country` (string, optional) — ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (alias `address-country-code`).

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "id": "ses_abc123",
  "status": "pending",
  "capture_url": "string",
  "is_sandbox": true,
  "created_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
  "expires_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
  "external_ref": "user_abc123",
  "qr_code_data_url": "string",
  "tags": [
    "string"
  ]
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions"

payload = {}
headers = {
    "X-API-Key": "<apiKey>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {'X-API-Key': '<apiKey>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("X-API-Key", "<apiKey>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["X-API-Key"] = '<apiKey>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions")
  .header("X-API-Key", "<apiKey>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions', [
  'body' => '{}',
  'headers' => [
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
    'X-API-Key' => '<apiKey>',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("X-API-Key", "<apiKey>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "X-API-Key": "<apiKey>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.withverifa.com/api/v1/sessions")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```