How to Verify a Facebook Profile with a Blue Check Mark

That little blue check mark next to a name on Facebook isn't just for celebrities and major brands anymore. It’s a powerful symbol of authenticity, instantly telling visitors that they’ve found the real, official account. This guide breaks down the two distinct paths to getting your own blue check: the new Meta Verified subscription service and the classic verification process based on notability.

What Exactly Is the Facebook Verification Badge?

The blue check mark, or verification badge, is a small icon that appears next to a Facebook Page or profile name. Its one job is simple: to confirm that the account is the authentic presence of the public figure, celebrity, or global brand it represents. It helps distinguish official accounts from fan pages, parody accounts, or imposters.

In the past, getting this badge was a somewhat mysterious process reserved for the highly notable. Today, Meta has opened up two clear routes:

• Meta Verified: A paid monthly subscription designed for creators and individuals who want a badge and some extra account perks.
• Traditional Verification: The original, free application process for public figures, brands, and organizations that meet specific notability criteria.

Let's look at how each one works, so you can decide which path is right for you.

Method 1: The Easiest Path with Meta Verified

For most individual creators, professionals, and small business owners, Meta Verified is the most straightforward way to get a blue check. It's a bundle of premium features you pay for monthly, with the verification badge being the main attraction. It signals that Meta has confirmed your identity through an official government-issued ID.

Who Is Eligible for Meta Verified?

The requirements for the subscription are quite clear and are designed to verify individuals, not entire business pages (though Meta is testing this). Before you can sign up, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a public or private personal profile with your full name that aligns with official ID standards. Your profile picture must clearly show your face.
• Meet minimum activity requirements, like a prior posting history. You can't just create a new account and verify it instantly.
• Have two-factor authentication enabled on your profile.
• Possess a government-issued ID that matches your profile name and photo. This could be a driver's license or passport.
• Comply with Facebook's Terms of Use and Community Standards.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Meta Verified

If you meet the criteria, signing up is a simple process directly within the Facebook or Instagram app.

1. Access the Accounts Center: On the Facebook mobile app, tap on your profile menu (bottom right corner), then find Settings &, Privacy >, Settings. At the top of the next screen, you’ll see the "Accounts Center." Tap it.
2. Check for Meta Verified: Within the Accounts Center, scroll down and look for a "Meta Verified" option. If it's available for your account, you will see it listed. If you don't see it, it may not have rolled out to your region or account type yet.
3. Set Up Your Subscription: Tap "Meta Verified" and choose the profile you want to subscribe with. You'll be prompted to set up your payment through your phone's app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store).
4. Verify Your Identity: This is the final and most important step. You will be guided to take a photo of your government-issued ID and, in some cases, a selfie video to confirm you're a real person. Facebook uses this to ensure the name and photo on your profile match your ID.
5. Wait for Review: The review process is usually quick, often taking anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours. Once approved, the blue checkmark will appear on your profile immediately.

One important note: Once you are verified through this process, you cannot change your profile name, username, date of birth, or profile photo without going through the entire verification process again.

What Else Do You Get with Meta Verified?

The subscription offers more than just the badge. It’s a package designed to provide value to creators:

• Proactive Account Protection: Enhanced monitoring against impersonation. Meta actively searches for and flags fake accounts trying to pass themselves off as you.
• Direct Account Support: This is a huge benefit. You get access to a real human for help with common account issues - something notoriously difficult to find otherwise.
• Exclusive Stickers and Stars: You receive exclusive stickers for Stories and Reels, and on Facebook, you'll get 100 Stars a month to send to other creators as a form of support.

Method 2: The Original Path Based on Notability

If you represent a well-known public figure, organization, media company, or major brand, the traditional verification route might be for you. This path is free, but it's also much more selective. It isn't about proving you are who you say you are, it's about proving you are a well-known, highly searched-for entity. Facebook needs to see a compelling reason to show the public that you are the official account among many potential fan or imitation accounts.

Who Qualifies for Traditional Verification?

Facebook looks at a few key factors defined by four principles when evaluating accounts for notability-based verification:

• Authentic: The account must represent a real person, registered business, or entity. This is the easy part.
• Unique: It must be the only official presence of the person or business it represents. Only one Page or profile per person or business can be verified (with exceptions for language-specific accounts).
• Complete: Your profile must be complete. This means having an "About" section, a profile photo, a cover photo, and recent activity including at least one post.
• Notable: This is the big one. Your account must represent a well-known, frequently searched-for person, brand, or entity. Facebook reviews accounts featured in multiple, legitimate news sources. Paid or sponsored promotional content does not count as a source for review.

Think politicians, famous artists, professional athletes, acclaimed journalists, and major global companies. If strangers aren’t actively searching for you or your brand online, and there aren’t multiple news articles written about you, this path will be challenging.

Preparing Your Profile for a Notability Application

Before you even think about hitting "apply," you need to prepare your digital footprint. Your goal is to make the decision as easy as possible for the reviewer at Meta.

1. Optimize Your Profile to Perfection

• Complete Every Section: Fill out your About section thoroughly with accurate information. Add a link to your official website.
• Use Professional Images: Have a clear, high-quality profile picture and cover photo that fits your brand or public persona.
• Ensure Consistent Branding: Your username (@handle), profile name, and brand imaging should be consistent across all your social media platforms to present a unified, professional presence.

2. Build Your Case with Independent Press

This is where most applications fail. Notability is proven by what others say about you, not by what you say about yourself. You need organic, unpaid media coverage. Here’s what matters:

• Legitimate News Sources: Articles, features, or mentions in multiple national or international publications count heavily. Local news can help but carries less weight.
• Non-Promotional Content: Press releases, sponsored articles, or mentions in blogs and other social media profiles do not count toward notability. The coverage needs to be editorial in nature.
• Google Yourself: Before applying, do an incognito search for your name or brand. Do credible news articles and sources show up on the first page? If not, you may need to focus on public relations efforts before seeking verification.

How to Apply for Traditional Verification

Once you’ve built up your case for notability, applying is done through a Help Center form.

1. Find the Form: The easiest way to find the "Request a verification badge on Facebook" form is to Google it directly, or search for it in Facebook's Help Center.
2. Confirm Your Authenticity: You’ll first need to specify whether you're verifying a "Page" or "Profile." Then, you must provide a copy of an official document. For a person, this is a photo ID (driver's license, passport). For an organization, it could be a utility bill, articles of incorporation, or tax documents.
3. Confirm Your Notability: This is your chance to shine.
   • Category: Select the category that best describes you or your brand (e.g., News/Media, Sports, Government &, Politics, Musician, Business, etc.).
   • Audience (Optional): Briefly describe who your followers are and why they are interested in your account. Keep it concise.
   • Also Known As (Optional): If you or your organization is known by a different name, list it here.
   • Links (The Most Important Part): Provide up to five links to news articles and other public mentions that prove you are an entity of public interest. Do NOT link to your other social media profiles or any paid/promotional content. This section exists to prove impartial, third-party notability.
4. Submit and Wait: After submitting, you’ll wait for a response from Facebook. This can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks. You can re-apply 30 days after a rejection, but you should only do so if you have new, significant press mentions to add to your application.

Why Your Verification Request Might Get Rejected

Seeing that "not approved" notice can be frustrating. Usually, it comes down to a few common missteps, particularly for the notability route:

• Not Enough Notability: You simply don't have enough significant, independent media coverage. The links you provided were to paid media, press releases, or other social profiles.
• Incomplete Profile: Your About section was empty or your profile lacked a profile picture when they reviewed it.
• Document Issues: The photo of your ID was blurry, expired, or didn't match the name on your profile.
• Violations of Terms of Service: Your account has recently violated Facebook’s Community Standards. Any strikes against your account will likely cause an automatic rejection.
• False Information: You’ve provided misleading information in any part of the application. Don’t do it.

Final Thoughts

Securing a blue check mark on Facebook is now more accessible than ever before, formalizing your authentic presence on the platform. Whether you choose the quick and feature-rich Meta Verified subscription or pursue the path of traditional verification by demonstrating public notability, the badge serves as a trust signal for everyone who finds your profile or page.

For us, building the sort of notable, authentic presence required for traditional verification hinges on a consistent and high-quality content schedule. From firsthand experience, we discovered that managing a content calendar across multiple platforms - especially for video-heavy formats like Reels and Stories - can quickly become overwhelming. That's why building a smarter, cleaner social media management tool became so important, it led us to create Postbase to streamline everything from visual content planning and scheduling to engaging with our community, all in one calm place.