How long after ID.me verification until NY unemployment releases my money?
My aunt is driving me insane with her constant questions. I've been dealing with an identity verification issue with ny unemployment for over 3 weeks now. My payments suddenly got put on hold in February and I got a message about needing to verify my identity through ID.me. I completed the whole verification process last Thursday - took a bunch of pictures of my license, did the video call with the referee, everything. The ID.me account shows 'verified' status now, but I still haven't seen any of my benefits released. It's been 8 days since verification and nothing has changed in my payment history. This is around $2200 that I'm waiting on. Does anyone know if I need to actually call them to get the funds released after doing ID.me? Or am I just supposed to wait? If waiting, how long is normal before they start releasing payments again? I can't keep dealing with my aunt asking me about this every single day...
56 comments


Miguel Ortiz
Sorry to say but u proly need to call them. I did my ID.me in November and waited like 3 weeks thinking it would automatically fix my claim, but nothing happened. Finally decided to call and talk to a rep who had to manually release my payments. Got my money in 2 days after the call.
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Ava Rodriguez
•Ughhh that's what I was afraid of. How long did you have to wait on hold?
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Miguel Ortiz
•Like 3+ hours the first time and then got disconnected 🤮 Second time was about 2 hours but finally got through
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Zainab Khalil
•this is why the system is broken... they make everything so complicated on purpose i swear
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Ava Rodriguez
•I don't have the patience to wait on hold that long. There has to be a better way
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QuantumQuest
•Theres always claimyr.com - they wait on hold for you and call when theres an agent. saved my sanity fr
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Connor Murphy
After struggling with this exact problem, I found this service called Claimyr that saved me SO much time. They waited on hold with unemployment and then called me when an actual person was on the line. I got connected with an agent who fixed my ID verification issue right away. Best thing I ever spent money on - got my $3k in backpay within 3 days after the call! Here's a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Yara Haddad
•wait does this actually work? sounds too good to be true tbh
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Connor Murphy
•Yeah it absolutely worked for me! They just wait on hold instead of you having to do it. Then they call your phone when there's an actual person ready to talk. Saved me from losing my mind on hold for hours.
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Keisha Robinson
•sounds scammy af... how do we know this isn't just someone promoting their own business 🤔
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Connor Murphy
•Not a scam at all - I was skeptical too until I tried it. They literally just call the unemployment office and wait on hold so you don't have to. When they get someone, they connect you. Saved me hours of stress and I finally got my account fixed.
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Paolo Conti
•I've been trying to reach someone for WEEKS. might have to try this claimyr thing cause im at my wits end
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Amina Sow
Same thing happened to me in January. After I verified through ID.me, I had to wait exactly 10 business days before they released my funds. I didnt have to call or anything, it just automatically switched back to paid status. So maybe give it a couple more days? The system is just slow af.
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GalaxyGazer
I literaly just went through this hellish process. So after you complete ID.me verification, your status in the ID.me system updates immediately BUT the unemployment system doesnt automatically sync with ID.me. Thats why your still waiting. In my case, I waited 2 weeks and nothing changed so I finally called and the rep manually checked my ID.me status and released my payments that day. Funds hit my account 3 days later. So yes, CALL THEM!!
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Ava Rodriguez
•That's so annoying that they don't automatically sync the systems 😡 Did you have to provide any additional info when you called?
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GalaxyGazer
•Nope, they just verified my basic info (name, last 4 of SSN, DOB, address) and then they could see in their system that I had completed ID.me. The rep said they have a huge backlog of manual reviews they have to do.
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Oliver Wagner
•classic government efficiency at work 🤡
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Natasha Kuznetsova
When this happened to me it took 14 days after ID.me verification for my claim to update automatically. BUT that was during a slower period. I've heard its taking longer now because of all the identity theft cases they're dealing with. Definitely call if its been more than 2 weeks.
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Javier Mendoza
Look, I work in IT (not for unemployment but similar government systems). Here's what's happening: ID.me is a third-party verification service that doesn't have an automatic data transfer with NY's unemployment system. Once you complete ID.me, your results go into a queue that DOL staff have to manually review and update in their system. Depending on their backlog, this can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. If it's been more than 10 business days, definitely call. BUT calling is a nightmare right now with hold times of 3+ hours. I recommend using claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold for you and call when there's an agent ready. It's the only reliable way to actually reach someone without wasting your entire day. Once you get an agent on the phone, specifically ask them to: 1) Confirm your ID.me verification has been received in their system 2) Request they manually release any pending payments 3) Ask them to note your account that identity has been verified They should be able to release your funds immediately and you'll typically see the money in 2-3 business days after that call. Good luck!
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Ava Rodriguez
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll probably try calling tomorrow then since it's been 8 days already. Appreciate the detailed advice!
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Emma Thompson
•Another IT person here - can confirm this is accurate. The systems don't talk to each other well. So frustrating.
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Malik Davis
Just fyi the ID.me thing is happening to TONS of people right now. There's a massive fraud prevention initiative going on. My neighbor works for DOL and said they're completely overwhelmed with the backlog. Definitely call!
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Ava Rodriguez
•That's good to know - at least I know it's not just me! Did your neighbor mention how long the typical wait is for cases like mine?
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Malik Davis
•She said right now its about 2-3 weeks if you just wait, but if you call they can usually fix it on the spot. The system is just overwhelmed with all the fraud cases they're trying to prevent.
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Isabella Santos
pro tip: call exactly at 7:59am when they open at 8am. That's how I got through after only 20min on hold. If you call later in the day you'll be waitin FOREVER
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StarStrider
•I tried this and still waited 1.5 hours 😫 must have gotten unlucky
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Isabella Santos
•Yeah it's hit or miss honestly. Sometimes I think its just luck of the draw
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Ravi Gupta
Almost every1 I know who used ID.me had to call to get their payments released. The system is broken AF. I ended up using claimyr.com cuz I couldn't deal with the hold times, and they got me through to someone who fixed it right away.
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Freya Pedersen
You shoild try messaging them on Twitter! Much faster response than calling sometimes. Just DM @NYSLabor with your issue (don't include any personal info in the DM tho).
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Ava Rodriguez
•I didn't even think about trying social media! Did you get an actual response that way?
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Freya Pedersen
•Yep! They asked me to DM my phone # and last 4 of SSN and a rep called me back the next day. Way easier than waiting on hold forever
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Omar Hassan
CALL THEM!!!! Dont wait pls. I waited 4 weeks thinking it would update automatically and it never did. One 2-hour phone call fixed everything and I got paid 3 days later.
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Chloe Anderson
After doing ID.me I waited 2 weeks with nothing happening. Finally bit the bullet and used Claimyr to get thru to an agent (was NOT gonna waste hours on hold). The agent told me they needed to manually verify and release the payments. Got $4300 in backpay the next business day!!!
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Ava Rodriguez
•That's a huge help. Did the agent say why it doesn't update automatically? Seems like such a design flaw in the system
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Chloe Anderson
•Apparently its a security thing. The agent said they have to manually review each case of ID verification to prevent fraud. Makes sense but also like... there has to be a better way
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Diego Vargas
ok I'm shocked no one mentioned this but TRY CALLING THE FRAUD DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY! Regular UI reps sometimes cant help with ID issues, but the fraud dept # is 888-598-2077. Much shorter wait times usually.
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Ava Rodriguez
•OMG thank you! I'll try this number first. Have you used it before?
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Diego Vargas
•Yep I got through in about 45 min when the regular line had me on hold for 3+ hours. They specifically handle ID verification issues.
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CosmicCruiser
Just wanted to say i feel for you dealing with relatives who keep asking about your unemployment. My mom was the same way when i was waiting for benefits last year. So stressful 😫
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Ava Rodriguez
•RIGHT?? Like I'm already stressed about the money and then having someone ask me about it every single day makes it 10x worse
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CosmicCruiser
•EXACTLY! Like I know they care but omg please stop asking me if the money came through yet 😭
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Anastasia Fedorov
I swear the ID.me thing is just another hurdle they make us jump through to delay paying benefits. The whole system feels designed to frustrate people into giving up 🤬
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Sean Doyle
•100% facts. They hope people just stop claiming because it's too complicated
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Zara Rashid
•To be fair tho, there HAS been a ton of unemployment fraud. My cousin works at DOL and says they've prevented millions in fraudulent claims with the ID.me system
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Anastasia Fedorov
•Yeah but why make the legit people suffer? There has to be a better way to verify without making us wait weeks for OUR MONEY
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Dylan Wright
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Did my ID.me verification 6 days ago and still nothing. Reading all these responses, it sounds like calling is definitely the way to go. @Diego Vargas thanks for that fraud department number - I'm definitely trying that first since you said the wait times are shorter. It's so frustrating that they make the system this complicated when people are already stressed about money. Going to try calling tomorrow morning and hopefully get this resolved quickly!
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Brooklyn Knight
•Good luck! I'm in the exact same boat - verified through ID.me last week and still waiting. Let us know how it goes with the fraud department number. I might have to try that too if calling the regular line doesn't work out. This whole process is such a nightmare but at least we're not alone in dealing with it!
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Admin_Masters
Ugh, I feel your pain! I went through this exact same nightmare last month. Completed my ID.me verification and then sat there for 12 days watching absolutely nothing happen with my payments. The whole time my mom kept asking "did the money come through yet?" like every few hours - I almost lost it! Finally called using that fraud department number someone mentioned (888-598-2077) and got through in about an hour. The rep was actually really helpful and explained that they have to manually review every single ID.me case because of all the fraud issues. She released my payments right there on the call and I had the money in my account 2 business days later. Don't wait any longer - 8 days is definitely long enough. Call that fraud line tomorrow morning and they should be able to fix it immediately. The regular unemployment line is a complete waste of time for ID verification issues. Good luck and hang in there!
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Aisha Rahman
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. I'm definitely going to call that fraud department number first thing tomorrow morning. It's crazy that they have to manually review every case - you'd think they could at least send an email or something letting people know that's what's happening instead of leaving us in the dark for weeks. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain the whole process!
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QuantumQuest
I'm dealing with this EXACT same situation right now! Just finished my ID.me verification 5 days ago and still nothing has changed with my payment status. It's so frustrating because like you said, the ID.me portal shows "verified" but the unemployment system acts like nothing happened. Reading through all these responses, it's pretty clear that calling is the only way to actually get this resolved. I had no idea about that fraud department number (888-598-2077) that @Diego Vargas mentioned - definitely going to try that tomorrow since everyone says the wait times are way shorter than the regular line. The whole thing is just so poorly designed. Why don't they at least send an email explaining that manual review is required after ID.me verification? Instead they just leave us hanging for weeks wondering what's going on. And don't even get me started on family members constantly asking about it - my sister asks me every day if "the unemployment came through yet" and it's driving me insane! Thanks for posting this question because all the responses have been super helpful. Definitely calling that fraud line tomorrow morning!
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Kaiya Rivera
•OMG yes, the lack of communication is the worst part! They should at least send a message saying "your ID.me verification was received and is under manual review, expect 10-14 business days" or something. Instead we're all sitting here wondering if the system is broken or if we did something wrong. And totally feel you on the family thing - it's like they think asking about it every day is somehow going to make it appear faster 😅 Hope the fraud department number works out for you tomorrow!
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Harper Thompson
This is so frustrating but you're definitely not alone! I went through this exact same thing back in December - completed my ID.me verification and then waited almost 3 weeks thinking it would automatically update. Spoiler alert: it didn't! Finally called that fraud department number (888-598-2077) that someone mentioned and got through in about 40 minutes. The rep explained that they have a massive backlog of manual reviews they have to do after ID.me verification - apparently it's a security measure because of all the fraud cases. She was able to release my payments immediately and I had the money 2 days later. Don't wait any longer - 8 days is definitely long enough to justify calling. The fraud department line is way better than the regular unemployment number for ID verification issues. And honestly, tell your aunt that you're actively working on it and will update her once it's resolved - having someone ask every day just adds unnecessary stress when you're already dealing with a broken system! The whole process is ridiculous but at least once you get someone on the phone they can usually fix it right away. Good luck!
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Amara Nnamani
•Thank you so much for the detailed advice! It's really helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same timeline. I'm definitely going to call that fraud department number tomorrow - seems like everyone who tried it had way better luck than with the regular line. And you're absolutely right about my aunt, I need to just tell her I'll update her when there's news instead of dealing with the daily check-ins. It's adding so much unnecessary stress to an already frustrating situation. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
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KingKongZilla
I literally just went through this exact same nightmare! Completed my ID.me verification 9 days ago and was going crazy waiting for something to happen. After reading all these responses, I called that fraud department number (888-598-2077) this morning and got through in about 35 minutes - way better than the regular line! The rep was super helpful and explained that they have to manually review every ID.me case because of fraud prevention. She released my payments immediately and said I should see the money in 2-3 business days. Definitely don't wait any longer - that fraud line is the way to go for ID verification issues! And I totally feel you on the family situation - my dad was doing the same thing asking me every single day about it. Sometimes I think the stress from constant questions is worse than actually waiting for the money 😅
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm so tired of waiting and wondering if something went wrong with my verification. Going to call that fraud department number first thing tomorrow morning. It's such a relief to know that 35 minutes is actually achievable - I was dreading having to sit on hold for 3+ hours like some people mentioned. And yes, the constant family questions are honestly making this whole situation so much worse! Thanks for sharing your success story, it gives me hope that this will actually get resolved soon 🙏
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Justin Evans
I went through this EXACT same thing last month and it was so frustrating! Completed my ID.me verification and then sat there for 11 days watching absolutely nothing happen. Like everyone else is saying, you definitely need to call - the systems don't sync automatically which is completely ridiculous. I used that fraud department number (888-598-2077) that @Diego Vargas mentioned and got through in about 50 minutes, which was way better than the regular line. The rep told me they have to manually review every single ID.me case because of all the fraud issues they're dealing with. She was able to release my payments right there on the call and I had the money in my account within 2 business days. Don't wait any longer - 8 days is definitely long enough! And I totally feel you on the aunt situation - my mom was doing the same thing asking me every day and it just added so much extra stress. Sometimes I think the constant questions are worse than actually waiting for the money 😅 That fraud line is definitely your best bet for ID verification issues. The regular unemployment number is basically useless for this type of problem. Good luck and hopefully you get it sorted out quickly!
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