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ICANN Account EAI Support FAQs

  1. What is Email Address Internationalization (EAI)?

    Email Address Internationalization (EAI) is a technical standard that allows email addresses to include non-ASCII characters, such as those in non-Latin scripts or accented Latin characters. This enables users around the world to create and use email addresses in their native languages, supporting greater global inclusivity.

  2. Why is ICANN choosing to support EAI in ICANN Account?

    The ability to use internationalized email addresses makes the Internet more accessible and relevant to users around the world. It reflects ICANN’s commitment to Universal Acceptance – the principle that all valid domain names and email addresses, regardless of script, language, or character length, should work seamlessly across all Internet-enabled systems and applications.

    This update also supports ICANN’s Strategic Plan goal of advancing Internationalized Domain Names and Universal Acceptance across ICANN’s systems and services.

  3. How will ICANN Account support EAI?

    ICANN Account will support EAI in the following ways:

    1. Register a new account using an internationalized email address with a secondary ASCII-based email address.
    2. Update the primary email address on an existing account to an internationalized one.
    3. Receive account notifications at an internationalized email address.
    4. Automatically use the internationalized email address to access applications as they become EAI-complaint.

  4. How will this change affect current ICANN Account users?

    For existing users, the only noticeable change is that their usernames will be hidden in the ICANN Account user interface and in account-related email notifications.

  5. What actions do I need to take to account for this change?

    No action is required if you prefer to continue using an ASCII-based email address. However, if you would like to use an internationalized email address, you may either create a new ICANN Account or update your existing one. While users can now use internationalized email addresses to access ICANN Account, an ASCII email address is still required to ensure compatibility with systems that do not yet support EAI. This helps maintain a smooth experience across all platforms during the transition to full Universal Acceptance. No matter what option you choose, you will be required to provide a secondary ASCII-based email address.

    You may update your email address at any time and as often as needed.

  6. How do I create an ICANN Account using an internationalized email address?

    To create an ICANN Account with an internationalized email address:

    1. From the Log In page, click Create an account.
    2. Complete the required fields, including entering your internationalized email address in the Primary Email Address field and your ASCII email address in the ASCII Email Address field, and click Submit.
    3. A verification email will be sent to both your internationalized email address and ASCII email address from [email protected]. Check your spam folder if you do not see the email in your inbox.
    4. Click the link in the emails to verify your identity. The link expires in 48 hours; restart the process if the link is no longer valid.
    5. Create a password and enter any additional profile information, then click Activate Account.

  7. How do I add an internationalized email address to my ICANN Account?

    To update your ICANN Account with an internationalized email address:

    1. Log in to your ICANN Account from the Log In page.
    2. Hover over your name in the upper right-hand corner, and click Manage Account, then select the Security tile.
    3. Click Update Your Primary Email Address. Complete the required fields, including entering your internationalized email address in the Provide a New Email Address field and your ASCII email address in the Please enter an ASCII Character Email Address field, and click Submit.
    4. A verification email will be sent to both your internationalized email address and ASCII email address from [email protected]. Check your spam folder if you do not see the email in your inbox.
    5. Click the link in the emails to verify your identity. The link expires in 48 hours; restart the process if the link is no longer valid.

  8. If I use an internationalized email address for my ICANN Account, will I have access to the same ICANN services and applications as users who have ICANN Accounts created with ASCII email addresses?

    Yes. All services and applications available to users with ASCII-based email addresses will also be available to users with internationalized email addresses. There will be no difference in access or functionality of services based on the type of email address used.

  9. If I add an internationalized email address to my ICANN Account, can I replace it with an ASCII email address at a later time?

    Yes. You can update your primary email address – whether it’s internationalized or ASCII-based – at any time and as often as you like through your ICANN Account security settings.

Domain Name System
Internationalized Domain Name ,IDN,"IDNs are domain names that include characters used in the local representation of languages that are not written with the twenty-six letters of the basic Latin alphabet ""a-z"". An IDN can contain Latin letters with diacritical marks, as required by many European languages, or may consist of characters from non-Latin scripts such as Arabic or Chinese. Many languages also use other types of digits than the European ""0-9"". The basic Latin alphabet together with the European-Arabic digits are, for the purpose of domain names, termed ""ASCII characters"" (ASCII = American Standard Code for Information Interchange). These are also included in the broader range of ""Unicode characters"" that provides the basis for IDNs. The ""hostname rule"" requires that all domain names of the type under consideration here are stored in the DNS using only the ASCII characters listed above, with the one further addition of the hyphen ""-"". The Unicode form of an IDN therefore requires special encoding before it is entered into the DNS. The following terminology is used when distinguishing between these forms: A domain name consists of a series of ""labels"" (separated by ""dots""). The ASCII form of an IDN label is termed an ""A-label"". All operations defined in the DNS protocol use A-labels exclusively. The Unicode form, which a user expects to be displayed, is termed a ""U-label"". The difference may be illustrated with the Hindi word for ""test"" — परीका — appearing here as a U-label would (in the Devanagari script). A special form of ""ASCII compatible encoding"" (abbreviated ACE) is applied to this to produce the corresponding A-label: xn--11b5bs1di. A domain name that only includes ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens is termed an ""LDH label"". Although the definitions of A-labels and LDH-labels overlap, a name consisting exclusively of LDH labels, such as""icann.org"" is not an IDN."