Twitter’s account ownership verification program (aka Twitter verification program) launched in 2009 to reduce the risk of impersonation, but getting the strongly desired blue checkmark has been impossible for most users of the platform — until now.

After publishing a draft of its new verification policy last year, Twitter is now finally relaunching its public verification program, allowing anyone who meets its qualification criteria to get their account verified.

“We’re excited to share that starting today, we’ll begin rolling out our new verification application process and reviewing public applications for verification on Twitter,” writes Twitter in the official announcement. “Today’s application rollout marks the next milestone in our plans to give more transparency, credibility, and clarity to verification on Twitter.”

Twitter

According to Twitter’s updated verification criteria, the following six categories of accounts can now quality for verification:

• Government
• Companies, brands, and organizations
• News organizations and journalists
• Entertainment
• Sports and gaming
• Activists, organizers, and other influential individuals

Additional account categories are planned to be introduced later this year, and they should extend the verification criteria to encompass scientists, academics, and religious leaders.

Also Read: Twitter Is Testing Two New Useful Features

In addition to belonging to the right category, Twitter also wants users to behave well before verifying them. Everyone who has misbehaved on the platform during the last 12 months and has been suspended for seven days or 12 hours for breaking the rules will be automatically rejected.

How To Apply For Twitter Verification?

To apply for the blue Twitter checkmark, you need to:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Go to the Account Settings tab.
3. Choose Identity verification.
4. Provide your official email address, website, or government ID.
5. Wait up to several weeks for your account to be verified.

That’s right, Twitter said that the verification process could take up to several weeks, depending on the current demand. However, it should typically take only a few days. Users who end up rejected can reapply 30 days after receiving the decision.