Clients who want to work with freelancers located in the United States can post jobs that only allow U.S. freelancers to submit proposals. If your profile states your location is in the U.S., we'll need to confirm your location before you can submit proposals to those jobs. Learn more about identity verification here.
If you’re asked to verify your identity, follow the link in the email you receive to begin the process. This is a secure and encrypted link that will remain active for 30 days. However, you will need to verify your identity within seven days or we will put a hold on your account.
Important:
To confirm your location, the name on your ID document must match your Upwork account name. If the name on your ID does not match your Upwork account name, please contact support for assistance.
Supplemental documentation
If your ID doesn't match the profile country where you are working, you will need to provide supplemental documentation to verify your location. This can include:
- Government issued documents
- Official correspondence (utility bills)
- Financial statements
- Property documents
- Institutional verification
The documents should be official, recent, and must clearly show your full name and address.
Frequently Asked Questions
The process allows for periodic travel, so if we've been able to confirm you are in the U.S. you'll still be able to submit proposals for jobs where the client is requesting only U.S. freelancers, even if you travel. It will then be up to you and your client to determine whether your travel schedule affects your ability to meet their job requirements.
For U.S.-based agencies, each agency member must verify their location to gain access to these jobs. Only those who have confirmed they are located in the U.S. will be able to submit proposals for jobs where the client is requesting only U.S. freelancers. When submitting proposals on behalf of other team members, both the person submitting the proposal and the team member named in the proposal must verify they are in the U.S.
Non-U.S. agency members, including business managers, will not be able to submit proposals for jobs with location selection, even on behalf of their team members who have completed location verification.
We do not sell any of the identity verification information you share with us, and we process and retain your information according to Upwork’s Privacy Policy. Any ID documentation that you submit will be encrypted and securely processed.