Check VAT and identity separately
Keep a dated VIES response and document the VAT number link to national registration and any LEI.
Documents to open in this workflow
This order suggests a starting point; revisit a step if identifiers, dates or versions disagree. Access and reuse terms depend on each service.
VIES — validation des numéros de TVA
Validate a VAT number for intra-community transactions within the VIES scope.
What to record
Response to one VAT number validation at a point in time. Access date and displayed update date; current state does not reconstruct all history.
Source-specific check
Separate valid, invalid and unavailable responses. Validation alone does not determine tax treatment, a contact’s identity or solvency.
Open source portalAnnuaire des Entreprises
Find a French entity by name, SIREN or SIRET and compare administrative records.
What to record
SIREN, relevant SIRET, cited field, named producer, URL and access date.
Source-specific check
Open the field’s source; two aggregators using one register are not two confirmations.
Open source portalGLEIF — Global LEI Index
Find an entity with an LEI and examine its legal identity, registration status and reported relationships.
What to record
Retain LEI, legal name, registration authority and number, ENTITY_STATUS, REGISTRATION_STATUS, last update and renewal date.
Source-specific check
Match the national registry identifier to the LEI record. Read reporting exceptions before inferring that there is no parent entity.
Open source portal
Matching condition
Date VIES result, country and number; document registry and optional LEI links.
If results disagree
Unavailability is not invalidity; keep the technical failure and repeat a dated query.
Output to produce
Validation record and separate identity evidence.
Separate documentary evidence, demonstrated links between documents and remaining inference. State the owner and review trigger.
Supporting methods
Producer references
Matching table to complete
This is a blank template, not a research result. Record the exact item and observation for each source before making the decision.
| Source | Document or exact URL | Date and version | Observation and passage | Scope and limit | Link established or unestablished |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIES — validation des numéros de TVA | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
| Annuaire des Entreprises | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
| GLEIF — Global LEI Index | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
Frequently asked questions
What link should be checked before matching results?
Date VIES result, country and number; document registry and optional LEI links.
What if sources appear to contradict each other?
Unavailability is not invalidity; keep the technical failure and repeat a dated query.
Do the listed portals provide independent confirmation?
Not necessarily. Identify the producer and underlying document. Two interfaces distributing one item can check transcription but do not establish a fact independently twice.