What Upwork identity verification is: the short answer
Upwork identity verification is how Upwork confirms that the person running a freelancer account is a real person who matches the name, photo, country and address on that account. You upload a government-issued photo ID, and depending on your situation Upwork may also ask for a short video or phone photo check, proof of location, or a code sent to your phone. When Upwork asks you to verify, you have seven days to complete it. If you do not, the account can be put on hold, and you lose the ability to send proposals or withdraw earnings until it is done.
Everything below on how it works comes from Upwork's own help center articles on verifying your identity as a freelancer, verifying with a government ID, and the identity verification badge, checked on the day this post was written. Upwork updates this process often, so check those pages if you are reading this much later.
When Upwork asks you to verify
Upwork notifies you by email and in your account when verification is needed. It can be triggered when you take certain actions, such as submitting a proposal. The help center lists these common reasons:
- You are new and just getting started.
- You are applying to U.S.-only jobs.
- Upwork needs to confirm account ownership, including for U.S. Government Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance.
- Your account was suspended and you are resuming activity.
- Upwork detects a possible mismatch or risk on the account.
- Periodic re-verification. Upwork says frequent verification requests are routine and do not necessarily mean anything is wrong with your account.
The checks you might be asked to complete
Types of Upwork identity verification, per Upwork's help center
| Check | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Government ID | Upload a valid government-issued photo ID showing your name, photo, date of birth and address (address not required on a passport) |
| Location for U.S.-only jobs | Proof that you are physically in the U.S. for certain jobs |
| Government ID and location | Both of the above, for regulatory compliance |
| Visual | A short video call or a phone photo to confirm the person on the ID matches your profile photo |
| Phone number | Enter a code sent to you by SMS or call |
What to prepare before you start
Almost every item on Upwork's prep list is about things matching each other. Get these lined up before you click the link, not halfway through.
- A valid government photo ID. Upwork accepts passports, driver's licenses, national ID cards, NBI Clearance (Philippines), tax or voter IDs, postal IDs and other valid government photo IDs with the required details. It does not accept student, employee or library cards, photocopies, temporary paper IDs, military or health cards, or anything handwritten or expired.
- Matching country. The country on your ID and the country on your profile must match.
- Matching name. Your name must match across your ID, your withdrawal method and your tax info, and Upwork will use the name on your ID as your verified name. If yours do not match, contact Upwork support before you submit rather than after.
- Matching address. Upwork's government ID article says the address on the ID must match the one on your Upwork profile.
- A current profile photo. It must clearly show you as you look now, because the visual check compares it to your ID.
- A phone with a working camera. You may need to scan a QR code to finish the process on your phone.
If you do not have a government photo ID, or Upwork asks for more proof, the help center lists alternatives it can accept, including a long-term visa, a green card or residence permit, a utility bill, a bank or credit card statement, a work permit, college enrollment papers or tax registration documents. An ID that is not in English is fine. Upwork says its verification vendor reviews IDs in any language.
How to take an ID photo that passes the first time
Upwork's own photo guidelines are specific, and following them is the cheapest way to avoid a manual review:
- Lay the ID flat and shoot from directly above.
- Use natural light and no flash, so there is no glare across the text.
- Keep all four corners of the ID clearly visible in the frame.
- Use a full-color, high-quality image (Upwork says at least 200 dpi).
- Save it as PNG, JPEG, PDF or BMP.
- Do not crop, edit, rotate or adjust the image. Submit it as taken.
How long Upwork identity verification takes
Per Upwork's help center, most freelancers are verified within minutes after submitting clear, matching information. If the automatic check cannot complete, the case goes to a manual review, which Upwork says typically takes three to five business days, and it may email you for more documents.
Two timers are worth knowing. The verification link in the email stays active for 30 days, but you still have to finish within seven days or the account goes on hold. Do not treat the 30 days as your deadline.
What happens if you do not verify
This is where people lose real money. Upwork lists what happens if you do not complete verification:
- You cannot submit proposals, accept direct hire offers or withdraw earnings.
- Your profile may be set to Private, so clients cannot find you in search. More on that in [why is my Upwork profile private](/blog/why-is-my-upwork-profile-private).
- Your active proposals are deleted, and the Connects you spent on them are not refunded.
- Your account may be suspended, and in serious cases funds may be returned to clients. If you are already there, read [Upwork account suspended: what to do](/blog/upwork-account-suspended-what-to-do).
The identity verification badge: is it worth 35 Connects?
Separately from verifying when Upwork asks, you can choose to verify early and get the identity verification badge, a blue check mark next to your name. Per Upwork's help center, it works like this:
- It costs 35 Connects. Go to Account settings > Identity Verification and select the option to spend 35 Connects for the badge.
- You must complete verification within seven days of spending the Connects. If you do not, or if you cannot pass for any reason, the Connects are not refunded and you start over.
- It is required to submit proposals to U.S.-only or U.K.-only jobs. Without it you can still apply to most other jobs.
- It is valid for three years, after which you re-verify and may pay again. Extra verification requests Upwork makes during those three years do not cost Connects.
- Upwork says the badge should appear within three business days of successful verification, though its freelancer verification article also notes that in most cases the badge only appears after you accept your first contract.
My take: buy it if you are going to target U.S.-only or U.K.-only jobs, because without it those jobs are closed to you entirely. If you are not, it is a trust signal, not a ranking lever, and Upwork does not publish data on how much it changes hiring. For a brand-new freelancer with a tight Connects budget, those 35 Connects are usually better spent on well-targeted proposals first. See [how to spend Upwork Connects without wasting them](/blog/how-to-spend-upwork-connects-without-wasting-them) and [how to get free Upwork Connects](/blog/how-to-get-free-upwork-connects).
One more thing that is easy to miss: the badge is not the same as passing the verification Upwork requires of you. If Upwork asks you to verify, you have to do it whether or not you ever buy the badge.
Privacy: what Upwork keeps and what clients see
Handing over an ID is a reasonable thing to hesitate about, so here is exactly what Upwork's help center says. Upwork's third-party verification provider keeps government ID images for up to one year and selfie and liveness images for up to three years. Upwork itself deletes the government ID image you submit after 30 days. Upwork says it does not sell your data, and clients only see that you are verified, never your documents.
The rule that follows from this: the only place you ever submit an ID is inside Upwork's own verification flow, reached from Account Settings or the link in Upwork's email. Never send an ID to a client in chat, by email or through a form they link you to.
After you verify: keep the details in sync
Verification is not a one-time event. If you move and change your country in Account Settings, Upwork says you will need to update your tax information to match and may be asked to verify your location and identity again. The same matching logic applies to your withdrawal method and tax forms, so keep your name identical everywhere. For non-U.S. freelancers, the tax side is covered in [the Upwork W-8BEN form explained](/blog/upwork-w-8ben-form-explained).
If your account is still new and you are waiting on profile approval as well, [how to get your Upwork profile approved](/blog/how-to-get-your-upwork-profile-approved) walks through that side.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Upwork identity verification take?
Per Upwork's help center, most freelancers are verified within minutes. If it needs a manual review, Upwork says that typically takes three to five business days, and it will email you if it needs more documents.
What happens if I don't verify my identity on Upwork?
You have seven days once asked. If you do not complete it, you cannot submit proposals, accept direct hire offers or withdraw earnings, your profile may be set to Private, active proposals are deleted without a Connects refund, and your account may be suspended.
Why is my Upwork identity verification failing or stuck?
The usual causes are mismatches: the name, country or address on your ID not matching your profile, withdrawal method or tax info, or a profile photo that no longer looks like you. A poor ID photo (glare, cropped corners, edited image) is the other common one. Upwork suggests clearing cache and cookies and trying another browser or device if the process stalls.
Which IDs does Upwork accept for verification?
A valid government-issued photo ID with your photo, signature, name, date of birth and address (passports do not need an address). That includes passports, driver's licenses, national ID cards, tax or voter IDs and postal IDs. Student, employee, military and health cards, photocopies, temporary or expired IDs are not accepted.
Is the Upwork identity verification badge worth it?
It costs 35 Connects and is required to apply to U.S.-only or U.K.-only jobs, so it is worth it if you want those jobs. Otherwise it is a trust signal on your profile, and a new freelancer short on Connects will usually get more from spending them on proposals first.
Can I verify my identity on Upwork before I'm asked?
Yes, as a freelancer. You do it by spending 35 Connects on the identity verification badge from Account settings > Identity Verification and finishing within seven days. Clients cannot verify early; they wait until Upwork asks.
Does Upwork keep my ID?
Per Upwork's help center, Upwork deletes the government ID image after 30 days. Its third-party verification provider keeps ID images for up to one year and selfie and liveness images for up to three years. Clients only see that you are verified.
Last reviewed by David Iya on October 7, 2026
