Claude identity verification: why it is asked and what to do

Since July 8, 2026, Anthropic's privacy policy says it may ask some Claude users to verify their identity. So some Claude accounts, even after a plan has been bought and activated, meet an identity check when signing in or using Claude. Anthropic asks for it itself: neither PayFar nor any other seller can complete it for you or skip it. Here is what the check is, and what to do if your account gets one.

What Claude identity verification is

Anthropic, the company behind Claude, says it uses identity verification to prevent abuse, enforce its usage policies and meet legal obligations. The check is run by Persona, a company that does exactly this: it reads a photo ID and, when needed, a live selfie, and matches the two.

Who gets asked

Anthropic has not published a list. Its help article says the prompt can appear when you access certain capabilities, during routine platform integrity checks, or in other safety and compliance checks.

Personal plans. According to press coverage of the policy change, it covers Claude Free, Pro and Max, not Team, Enterprise or the API.
Not everyone. Anthropic describes it as rolling out for a few use cases, not as a check every user goes through.
Any time after activation. The prompt is not tied to the moment you buy; it can appear later, when you sign in or use Claude.

What you need

An original government photo ID. A passport, driver's licence or national identity card, legible, undamaged and not expired.
A phone with a camera. For a live selfie, if one is asked for.

Not accepted: photocopies, scans, screenshots or photos of a photo; digital or mobile IDs; non-government cards such as student, employee or bank cards; and temporary paper IDs.

Where your documents go

Held by Persona. Your ID and selfie are collected and held by Persona, not on Anthropic's systems; Anthropic can view them through Persona when it needs to, for example to review an appeal.
Encrypted. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
Not for training. Anthropic says it does not use identity data to train its models, and never shares it for marketing or advertising.

If verification does not go through

Try again in the same flow, in better light or with a different ID.
Check that the ID is undamaged, legible and valid.
If you run out of attempts, ask Anthropic through its identity verification help form: claude.com/form/identity-verification-help
If you believe your account was banned by mistake, use the appeal form linked from the same help article.

What this means for a Claude plan bought through PayFar

Whether you order a Claude plan from PayFar or pay for it yourself with a PayFar card, the plan runs on your own Claude account. Identity verification is a step between you and Anthropic: PayFar does not ask for it, cannot complete it on your behalf, and has no way around it.

If you meet this prompt after activation, tell PayFar support and we will look at your order and plan with you.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Claude account have to be verified?

No. Anthropic says it asks for verification in a few use cases and in certain circumstances, not from every user.

Can PayFar verify on my behalf?

No. The check uses the account holder's own ID and selfie, directly between them and Anthropic. It is not in PayFar's hands.

Does a verification prompt mean my payment failed?

No. The prompt concerns your Claude account, not the card or the payment you made.

Where is my ID stored?

With Persona, Anthropic's verification partner, encrypted. Anthropic says the data is not used to train models or for advertising.

Does it apply to the API?

According to press coverage, the July 2026 policy change covers personal plans (Free, Pro and Max) and not Team, Enterprise or the API. Anthropic's help article has the latest.