Identity verification holding up ESD claim for 3+ weeks - anyone else stuck?

Yeah, identity verification is a huge bottleneck right now. Mine took exactly 22 days in January 2025. The system is completely overwhelmed because of all the fraud prevention measures they've added. Make sure you uploaded clear copies of your ID documents in eServices. Blurry photos will only delay things further.

Unfortunately, this is pretty standard these days. ESD implemented stronger identity verification processes after the massive fraud cases in 2020-2021. What documents did you submit for verification? Make sure you've provided everything they asked for in your eServices account. Sometimes there are additional verification requests that don't trigger notifications. Log in daily and check the 'Uploads & Documentation' section to see if they need anything else from you.

mine took 4 WEEKS!! and they never even told me it was for identity verification until i finally got thru to someone. the whole system is broken af

If you're approaching the 3-week mark and still stuck in identity verification, I strongly recommend using Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent. After waiting 25 days with no movement on my claim, I used their service at claimyr.com and got connected to an agent in about 40 minutes. The agent was able to manually verify my identity and push my claim through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was absolutely worth it to finally get my claim moving instead of waiting indefinitely.

Idk if this helps but my sister-in-laws claim was pending for identity verification for like 5 weeks!!! She finally went to her local WorkSource office in person and they helped her figure out that her birth certificate upload was too dark or something??? She took a better picture there and her claim was approved 2 days later! Maybe try going in person if possible??

You need to be VERY persistent with ESD right now. Their so-called "2-3 week process" is actually taking 4-6 weeks for many people. I was in the same situation in December, and I finally got so frustrated that I contacted my state representative's office. They have liaisons that work directly with ESD. I had my identity verified within 48 hours after my representative's office got involved. Don't sit around waiting - be proactive!

lol welcome to esd hell!! my claim said "pending" for 5 weeks and i couldnt pay my rent... had to borrow from family which was humiliating. the whole system is designed to make people give up tbh

UPDATE: I checked my eServices after seeing all these helpful comments. There was an "Additional Information Needed" alert that I completely missed! It was asking for a second form of ID since my driver's license is about to expire. Uploaded my passport and birth certificate just to be safe. Hopefully this moves things along! Thanks everyone for your help - I'll update again when there's progress.

FINAL UPDATE: My claim finally got approved! After finding and uploading the missing document they requested, I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended here to actually speak with an ESD representative. The rep confirmed they had everything they needed and manually pushed my verification through. Claim status changed from pending to active within 24 hours! Thank you all for your help - this community is amazing!