It sucks when Facebook asks for your ID and locks you out of your account.
But you should be grateful for that because if someone attempts to hack your account sometime in the future, they won’t be able to bypass the verification because they don’t have proof of identity.
But how long does the ID verification last on Facebook?
Now, how long does it take Facebook to review IDs? How long should you wait? The time frame varies depending on the case. Suppose your case is severe and may affect many other Facebook users. In that case, the review process may take longer than usual (48h) because Facebook also wants to protect those other users.
Facebook uses both manual and AI verification to ensure that the review result is best for all parties involved, so it may take a while.
If you are impatient, just trust the process and avoid re-submitting your ID because Facebook may suspect you even more.
Let’s discuss what you should do as you wait for Facebook’s decision and the possible reasons why it’s taking longer or, worse, why your ID was rejected.
How Long Does It Take Facebook To Review ID?
Before discussing how long it takes for Facebook to verify your identity, let’s discuss why they need to verify it first.
There are 2.9 billion Facebook users; some use an identity that isn’t theirs.
Facebook is aware of that, so they ask some suspicious users to verify their identity by submitting (non-)government-issued IDs.
By suspicious, I mean those who post spam messages, fail to log in many times, and are reported as fake users.
Facebook has age restrictions, too. If they discover that a user is faking his birthday to fool everyone (not just Facebook) that they are over 18, their account may be reviewed or disabled without warning.
Typically, Facebook’s verification process takes less than 48 hours.
But it could last more than 48 days if many elements, factors, and people are at play. If it’s been months and you haven’t heard from them, they may have decided not to review your account.
That is because Facebook tells the user if their ID has been rejected, and they will explain why. So if you haven’t received anything, they probably have done nothing.
What Kind of IDs Does Facebook Accept?
Facebook accepts both: government and non-government-issued IDs.
However, if you submit a non-government-issued ID, you must submit two different IDs. Either way, the IDs must have your name and your image or your name and date of birth.
Facebook has the right to reject your IDs.
According to Facebook, there are some things to consider if you get rejected:
- The photo is too blurry.
- The image is too dark or not taken in a well-lit room.
- The required information is missing.
- The ID submitted is a screenshot or a photocopy of the actual ID.
- The ID isn’t properly visible with all four corners in the frame.
It could also be because you haven’t correctly uploaded your ID.
How To Upload Your ID to Facebook
Uploading an ID to Facebook is easy, but some people still can’t do it properly.
But before you do that, make sure you don’t upload more IDs than necessary because that will confuse Facebook, which could prolong your review process.
So, to upload your ID:
- Take a close-up photo of your ID in a well-lit room using your device.
- Save the photo.
- Follow the on-screen instructions for uploading your ID.
Facebook will guide you through the process. You need to follow their instructions to avoid problems. And then once your ID has been accepted, Facebook will keep it for up to one year.
That is so that they can detect fake IDs. They will store it in a secure place.
Conclusion
You can see how the tech industry is growing, and it’s lovely.
But as people discover more possibilities, especially mobile and technology, we shouldn’t forget that part of that growth and expansion is increasing the ways a hacker can steal identities in this digital world.
This is why Facebook is making its platform more secure by giving its users options to protect their accounts with multi-factor authentication and implementing security measures that involve identity verification using IDs issued by the government or by a trusted institution the user is part of.
People are vulnerable nowadays because their personal information is exposed.
So if Facebook asks you to submit your IDs to prove that the account you’re trying to access is yours, you shouldn’t be mad because Facebook wants to protect your account from hackers.
