In a virtual work world, knowing that people are who they claim to be is a vital part of safety and security. That’s why we routinely ask freelancers and clients to verify their identities.
We’ll let you know when it’s time for you to earn the Identity Verified badge (or re-verify your identity) by emailing you and by notifying you when you log into your Upwork account. We use a few different types of identity verification:
- Government ID
- Location for U.S.-only jobs
- Government ID and location
- Visual
- Phone number
Sometimes, we’ll only ask for you to verify one of the above. Other times, we'll ask you to verify all of the options. After you’re notified, you have seven days to complete the verification before your account is put on hold.
In most cases, we’ll be able to verify your identity within minutes once you submit your information.
Before you begin
Make sure you’re ready to verify your identity by having the following ready:
-
A valid government-issued ID
- The country on your Upwork profile should match the country of your ID
- Make sure your Upwork profile photo is yourself and accurately represents your current appearance
- Make sure the names on your withdrawal method, tax information, and tax forms match the name on your ID. Upwork will use the name on the identity documents you give us as your verified name. Name mismatch? Contact support
- A phone with a working camera
This ID must include your picture, signature, name, date of birth, and address, with the exception of passports, which don't need your address.
- The documents we accept include passport, national ID card (NIC/CNIC), driver's license, NBI Clearance (Philippines only), tax ID, voter ID, postal ID, or any other valid government-issued photo ID that meets these criteria
- For refugees and asylum seekers, we may accept UNHCR-issued documents, Asylum Seeker Temporary Visa, or Asylum Seeker Certificate
We cannot accept:
- Student IDs, employee IDs, library cards, handwritten IDs, temporary IDs, photocopied IDs, military IDs, and health cards
- Take the photo of the ID from above, with the ID lying on a flat, dark surface
- Don’t cover up any part of the ID or your face
- Leave margins on all sides of the image
- Don’t use a flash
To verify your identity
- We’ll let you know when it’s time to verify your identity. Make sure you’ve read the “Before you begin” section above and select the link in your email or notification to start the process
- Follow the steps listed. You will need to scan a QR code to continue the process on your phone
If the images requested are captured successfully and match your profile information, your identity will be verified instantly. However, the badge will not appear on your profile until after you accept your first contract.
In some cases, we may need to review the documents you submitted and ask for more information, which may make this process take longer. When this happens, we’ll be in touch through email.
Reasons you could be asked to verify your identity
- To determine ownership of an account (including the U.S. Government Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance program)
- To confirm your location to qualify you for location-specific jobs and to comply with local taxes and regulations
- To resume your account after a suspension
- For other reasons that we may deem appropriate to maintain the integrity of the marketplace
Unable to verify your identity
If you’ve received a notification that verifying your identity is required and you're unable to do so, you may not be able to continue working through Upwork. That means you can not submit new proposals or make withdrawals. Permanent suspension will lead to a return of your funds to clients.
Important note about your privacy:
We take the protection of your personal information seriously. Access to your information is strictly governed by Upwork’s privacy policy. We do not sell any of the information you submit to us, and after 30 days, the images you submit to verify your identity are deleted. Clients can see that you have undergone the verification process from the badge only.