My worker is stuck waiting for ID verification review
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Applies to: staffing Partners whose worker's onboarding shows that their identity verification is waiting for review. Every worker we pay verifies their identity, so this can happen with employees and independent contractors alike.
Summary: "Waiting for review" means the worker has submitted their ID and the attempt is now with Ascen's team for a manual check. The worker does not need to do anything more unless we email them asking for something specific. If their start date is close, email support@ascen.com with the worker's full name, the client, and the start date, and we will look at where it stands.
What "waiting for review" means
In most cases the worker has done their part. They have submitted their ID, and the selfie where it was asked for.
The automatic check could not pass it on its own, so our team reviews it by hand. Common reasons are a photo that is hard to read, glare across the document, or a document that does not match the document type the worker selected.
It is not a rejection, and it is not a background check result. Identity verification and the background check are separate steps.
There is no fixed turnaround time, because what needs checking varies from one attempt to the next.
What the worker should do
Nothing more while the review is open. Ask them not to keep starting new attempts. The number of attempts is limited, and using them up can make it harder to finish.
Watch their email, including spam. If we need something, such as a clearer photo, a different document, or the selfie, we email the worker and name exactly what to fix.
If we ask them to redo it, they should choose the document type that matches the document they are photographing (a passport is the simplest choice), photograph the physical document flat with no glare (not a screenshot or a photo of a screen), and finish the whole attempt, including the selfie, in one sitting in the same browser window. Why does my ID keep failing verification when the photos are clear? and Completing identity verification (and what to do if it fails) walk the worker through it.
If the name on their ID is different from the name on their profile, for example after a name change, retrying will not fix it. The worker should email support@ascen.com and tell us which name is correct.
What you can do
Check that the worker finished the whole attempt. An attempt where the window was closed before the selfie can look like it is waiting for review when it is actually incomplete.
If the start date is close, email us. Send support@ascen.com the worker's full name, the client, and the start date. We can look at the attempt and tell you what it is waiting on.
Do not send us copies of the worker's ID, and do not collect them yourself. ID documents only reach us when the worker uploads them through the platform, from their own login at app.ascen.com or from an upload link we send them.
Tell us if the start date moves or the worker drops out.
What it holds up
Identity verification comes before the rest of onboarding. Until it clears, the worker cannot start work or enter time, so ask them not to start until their account is approved. See Why your portal says to refrain from working until your account is approved.
Identity verification is the worker's own step. You cannot complete it for them, and it cannot be waived.
Who to contact
Ascen (support@ascen.com): where a worker's verification stands, a start date at risk, or a name that does not match.
You (the Partner): keeping in touch with the worker and managing the start date with your client.