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If you cannot verify your identity for VA.gov, first identify the sign-in provider on the screen—ID.me, Login.gov, or CLEAR—and note exactly where the process stops. The fix depends on whether you are creating the account, submitting an identity document, completing multifactor authentication (MFA), or being sent back to VA.gov after verification. Use the matching steps below rather than repeating the same failed upload or password attempt.
Keep the exact error wording or code, the provider name, and the page where it appeared. Those details determine whether the provider or the Department of Veterans Affairs should handle the next step.
Start by locating the failed stage
VA.gov does not perform every part of sign-in itself. Your account is held by ID.me, Login.gov, or CLEAR, and that provider performs identity proofing and MFA. A problem at the provider and a problem in the VA.gov session require different support channels.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Where it fails | Typical sign | First owner of the problem |
|---|---|---|
| Account creation | You cannot finish registration or the account will not activate. | The sign-in provider |
| Identity document upload or matching | An ID photo is rejected, the camera cannot capture it, or your details do not match. | The sign-in provider |
| MFA | The text, call, authenticator, security key, or backup-code step cannot be completed. | The sign-in provider, unless VA.gov displays a separate service error |
| Return to VA.gov | Verification appears complete, then VA.gov shows an error or sends you back to sign-in. | Often the VA.gov session; persistent errors should go to VA |
Write down the provider, exact message, any error code, and the browser or device you used. Do not paraphrase a code when contacting support; VA specifically asks for the displayed code when a return-to-VA.gov error continues.
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When an ID upload or online identity check fails
ID.me: look for a video call or in-person route
A failed automated check does not necessarily end ID.me verification. Depending on your account and current eligibility, ID.me may offer a video-call review or an in-person appointment at a participating UPS Store. The offer appears in the provider’s own flow; it is not available to every person or for every document problem.
The video-call route may require a computer with a working webcam, internet access, and images of the identity documents requested on screen. For an in-person appointment, follow the appointment instructions shown by ID.me and bring the requested code and identity documents. Requirements can vary by route, so do not rely on a fixed document count or assume that one type of ID will be accepted without checking the current instructions.
Login.gov: use participating USPS in-person verification when offered
Login.gov can present an in-person verification option after an online ID-photo attempt fails or when the account flow determines that an in-person check is available. Participating USPS locations handle this process. Login.gov’s instructions say to tell the postal employee that you received an email asking you to have a barcode scanned for identity verification. If the employee is unfamiliar with the process, ask for a supervisor.
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Participation, appointment availability, acceptable documents, and the barcode process can change. Select the in-person option from your Login.gov account and follow the instructions generated for that account instead of arriving with assumptions about what the location can provide.
Mail-based address verification may apply in limited cases
VA guidance also describes mail-based address verification in some circumstances, including situations in which a person does not have a U.S. phone number. This is an eligibility-dependent route, not a universal replacement for document verification. If it appears in your provider’s options, use the address and timing instructions shown there; if it does not appear, ask the provider whether another method is available.
CLEAR accounts need provider-specific instructions
VA.gov supports CLEAR as another sign-in provider, but the ID.me video-call and UPS Store process and the Login.gov USPS process should not be assumed to apply to CLEAR. Use the help route for the provider named on your sign-in screen. If the failure occurs only after you return to VA.gov, follow the separate session steps below.
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Fix an ID.me browser or connection problem
These steps address browser interference, not every identity-document or account mismatch. Perform them in order and retry the same action after each change so you can identify what helped.
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- Clear the browser cache and cookies. Remove stored data for the browser, then close and reopen it before trying ID.me again.
- Try a different, up-to-date browser. A separate browser can avoid a damaged profile or an unsupported setting.
- Disable browser tools and extensions temporarily. Turn off ad blockers, privacy tools, automation software, and other extensions that can alter forms, camera access, redirects, or pop-ups.
- Use a private or incognito window. This starts a clean session without most stored cookies and extension settings.
- Turn off a VPN while testing. A VPN can change the network location or interrupt a verification session. Re-enable it afterward if you normally use one.
- Submit an ID.me support ticket if the failure remains. Include the exact message, the step that failed, your browser, and whether the problem occurred on a phone or computer. Do not keep repeating uploads if the provider’s support team needs to inspect the account.
Browser cleanup will not correct an identity record that genuinely does not match, an expired document, or a provider eligibility decision. In those cases, use the alternative verification route offered in your account or contact the provider.
When multifactor authentication is the barrier
First confirm that the phone can receive the expected text or call and has cellular service or Wi-Fi, as applicable. Check that you are using the phone number currently registered with the provider and that a delayed message has not arrived after you already requested another code.
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If you cannot use a mobile phone, VA says some accounts may offer a security key, a landline call, or backup codes. The exact choices are provider-specific and may depend on how the account was enrolled.
| Alternative | Useful when | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Security key | You need a physical, non-phone sign-in method. | Check that the key’s protocol and account-provider compatibility are supported before buying one. |
| Landline | You can receive an automated voice call but not a text message. | Only appears where the provider supports voice verification for your account. |
| Backup codes | You saved the one-time codes when MFA was set up. | Each code is generally single-use; keep unused codes private and follow the provider’s recovery instructions if they are gone. |
Do not assume that an option shown by one provider will be available in another account. Open the MFA help or recovery choices for the provider you actually use. If the provider has locked the account or lost access to its registered factors, its support team—not VA—must restore that account.
When verification succeeds but VA.gov shows an error
VA says that an error while returning to VA.gov after account creation or identity verification can result from a timed-out session. The department’s guidance reassures users: “If you get an error when you try to go back to VA.gov after creating your account or verifying your identity, don’t worry.”
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- Close the tab or window that displayed the error.
- Open a new browser tab.
- Go to VA.gov and start sign-in again with the same provider.
- If the error returns, record the complete error code and message.
- Call VA support and read the code exactly as displayed.
A successful provider verification does not give VA representatives the ability to reset an ID.me or Login.gov password. Password resets belong to the provider. VA can investigate a VA.gov sign-in or handoff problem, while the provider must handle its own credentials, identity decision, and MFA recovery.
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Choose support based on the failing stage. Contacting VA about a rejected ID.me document, for example, cannot make ID.me approve that document; contacting ID.me about a VA.gov session timeout cannot repair VA’s session.
| Support route | What it can help with | Details in VA guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Provider support | Account creation, rejected identity documents, identity matching, provider password, and provider MFA recovery. | Use the help or support link for ID.me, Login.gov, or CLEAR shown on your account. |
| VA phone support | VA.gov sign-in errors, failed handoff after verification, and other VA technical access problems. | 866-279-3677 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, according to VA’s common sign-in account issues guidance. |
| Ask VA | A written question about VA.gov access when you do not need an immediate phone response. | VA says a reply should arrive within 7 business days. For a general sign-in question, start the message without signing in. |
| Local VA health facility | In-person assistance with online VA services, when staff and resources are available. | Ask whether the facility has a Virtual Health Resource Center. For online health-care help, ask for the My HealtheVet coordinator. |
Support hours and local services can change. Check the current VA sign-in support page before calling or visiting. Provider support hours and appointment rules are separate from VA’s hours.
Choose the fallback that fits your situation
There is no universally fastest or most successful route. Use the account you already started, the type of failure you have, and the practical access you have to equipment or a participating location.
| Your situation | Most relevant next step | What to verify first |
|---|---|---|
| ID.me automated check rejected an otherwise usable identity document | See whether ID.me offers a video call or participating UPS Store appointment. | Current eligibility, appointment availability, required code, documents, webcam, and internet access. |
| Login.gov could not capture or accept the ID photo | Select the in-person USPS process if it appears. | That the location participates and that you have the barcode email and documents requested by Login.gov. |
| No U.S. phone number | Check whether mail-based address verification is offered. | Whether your account qualifies and how the provider handles the mailed notice. |
| No mobile phone for MFA | Open provider MFA alternatives. | Whether a security key, landline, or backup codes are supported for your account. |
| Provider says verification is complete but VA.gov errors | Start a fresh VA.gov tab and sign in again; escalate to VA with the code if needed. | The exact VA.gov error code and the time it occurred. |
| CLEAR account problem | Use CLEAR’s own account support route, unless the error is clearly on VA.gov. | Whether the message came from CLEAR or from the VA.gov handoff. |
Prepare before trying again
- Keep the provider name and exact error text in your notes.
- Follow the current document and appointment instructions generated for your account; requirements can differ between online, video, mail, and in-person routes.
- Use a browser and device that can support the requested camera, pop-up, redirect, or phone function.
- Do not purchase MFA hardware until you confirm that the provider supports that type of security key.
- When contacting VA, have the VA.gov error code ready; when contacting a provider, have the provider’s account message and failed step ready.
Provider flows, participating locations, document rules, and contact details can change. Verify the live instructions at the moment you retry, especially if an option such as in-person verification or mail verification is not displayed in your account.
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