Okay today I tried agency builder and paid the credits, but when i tried to verify my organization using my pancard and three selfies, the system could not verify. I am from India and now there is no option to verify again.. Is this a bug or what next? Thank you
2 Likes
Your experience is not atypical. You describe doing everything that was asked, and yet you were denied, likely with no explanation of the ultimate failure - and yet your identity would be recorded by the 3rd party service and keep you from attempting again.
OpenAI has not backed down from this ID verification that delivers experiences and non-delivery just like yours. The DevDay new features list can also be a checklist of things that are now also placed behind an ID verification requirement, from making images with a cheaper model to building agents in a UI.
The history of anecdotes that fill the forum still will scroll off the front page quickly. I had AI research on the forum directly to answer: you are not alone. Not a bug, but a pattern.
Report: OpenAI API ID Verification — user accounts of a broken flow, third‑party risk, invasive data demands, and unresolved failures
Scope and method
- This report summarizes first‑hand accounts posted by developers on the OpenAI Developer Community forum about the API “Verify Organization”/ID check flow.
- Themes were derived from consistent patterns across threads; direct user quotes and reported support replies are included.
- All evidence is anecdotal; links are provided so readers can review posts in context.
Executive summary
- Broken flows and hard lockouts: Many users report “Session expired” states that cannot be reset or retried, leaving paid credits stranded and API access blocked.
- “No manual override” and “no retries” responses: Multiple users received support replies stating OpenAI cannot restart/override failed Persona sessions and offers no appeal, no manual review, and no retry.
- Vendor and privacy concerns: Users object to handing over government IDs and facial biometrics to a third party; some cite legal and GDPR concerns.
- Inconsistent/opaque gating: Even after “Organization Verified,” some still report 403s or model gating; others hit a rigid 90‑day lock tying a single human ID to one org.
- Workarounds are unreliable: Inviting another human owner occasionally works; later reports say the “workaround” was blocked or still fails.
Representative quotes and support responses
- “Unfortunately, at this time, we’re not able to manually restart or override failed Persona verification sessions. If the process wasn’t completed successfully, access to models that require verification, including GPT‑5, may remain restricted.” (Unable to verify organization because withpersona won’t validate my identity) Unable to verify organization because withpersona won't validate my identity
- “At this time, we’re unable to restart or extend verification sessions once they expire… While you’re still welcome to continue using the platform, access to newer models that require verification may not be granted unless the verification was completed successfully.” (Persona link locked on “Session expired” – need reset) Persona link locked on “Session expired” – need reset and (Persona verification reset – no response) Persona verification reset - no response
- “Verification attempts are currently limited, and retry options are not available if the process is started but not completed.” (Organization Verification failed after identity verification — support reply quoted) Organization Verification failed after identity verification
- “Your identity has been used to verify an org in the last 90 days and cannot be used.” (Verification issue on second attempt) Verification issue on second attempt
- “Very intrusive. I tried anyway only to find a dead end. Now I’m stuck with tokens I cannot use.” (OpenAI Non‑Announcement: ID verification required) OpenAI Non-Announcement: Requiring identity card verification for access to new API models and capabilities
- “The beauty is they don’t even have to provide you anything — you can be failed out of the service with ‘expired’ and no remedy …” (Why do I need to verify my ID if I’m already subscribed?) Why do I need to verify my ID if I'm already subscribed?
Key patterns seen across reports
- Session expired with no reset/retry:
- Persona link locked on “Session expired” — cannot restart: Persona link locked on “Session expired” – need reset
- Persona verification reset — no response; dead‑end: Persona verification reset - no response
- Organization Verification failed → “Session expired,” no new link: Organization Verification failed after identity verification
- Verify your organization — Persona link “Session expired”: Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
- Organization Verification Stuck — Persona Session Expired: Organization Verification Stuck - Persona Session Expired
- “Verify Organization” link does not renew (refresh produces same expired link): "Verify Organization" link does not renew
- “Cannot create” internal error:
- Error when trying to restart: cannot_create_new_identity_verification_inquiry_for_user (see later posts) Organization Verification failed after identity verification
- Related backend error surfaced by users/devtools: Organization could not be verified, what is SENTINEL_FRONTIER_ELIGIBLE?
- 90‑day ID lock:
- “Your identity has been used to verify an org in the last 90 days” and cannot be reused: Verification issue on second attempt
- Support explanation that a given government ID is locked to one org for ~90 days: Organization Verification failed after identity verification
- Verification ≠ access (gating persists even after “Verified”):
- Unable to access gpt‑image‑1 despite Verified Org: Unable to Access GPT Image 1 Model Despite Verified Organization
- Passed Persona verification — still denied gpt‑image‑1 due to internal error: Passed Persona verification – but access to gpt-image-1 API still denied due to internal error?
- Third‑party vendor friction and privacy objections: Users object to providing government ID + facial biometrics to a third party (Persona), citing invasive scope and legal/privacy risks.
- OpenAI Non‑Announcement thread (dozens of complaints about biometrics and third‑party risk): OpenAI Non-Announcement: Requiring identity card verification for access to new API models and capabilities
- The broken OpenAI Persona Identity Verification (mentions GDPR concerns): The broken OpenAI Persona Identity Verification: What It Is and Why It's Problematic
- Verify as Org rather than individual? (users object to handing over personal sensitive data): Verify as Org rather than individual?
- Biometric verification required? (users decline due to sensitivity): Biometric verification required?
- OpenAI — We need to talk about org verification (GDPR/privacy issues discussed): OpenAI - We need to talk about org verification
- Workarounds sometimes, then not:
- “Invite another human as Owner/Admin to verify” reported working for some: Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
- Later reports that the same workaround failed or was effectively blocked; still “Session expired”: Organization Verification failed after identity verification and “they patched the fix, not the bug” update here: Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
Impact described by users
- Lost time and sunk cost: Paid API credits and projects blocked with no recovery path.
- “Stuck with tokens I cannot use” (privacy thread): OpenAI Non-Announcement: Requiring identity card verification for access to new API models and capabilities
- “Topped up credits… left unable to use” (expired link): Unable to use o3, o4-mini models due to expired Identity verification link via API
- “Waited over the 90 days… still no way forward” (support bot loop): Unable to verify organization
- Business disruptions:
- Tier‑5 users “spent thousands,” blocked by session expired: Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
- Verification failing for regions/docs (Canada uploads): Organization verification failing - Failed to upload - Canada blocked?
- 90‑day lock blocking legitimate multi‑org work: Unable to verify organization
- Erosion of trust:
- Non‑Announcement thread detailing risk posture and “risk mgmt mode”: OpenAI Non-Announcement: Requiring identity card verification for access to new API models and capabilities
- “Patched the fix, not the bug” update on the workaround: Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
- “No response” or AI‑only responses in reset thread: Persona verification reset - no response
- Privacy/legal risk perception:
- GDPR/legal concern: The broken OpenAI Persona Identity Verification: What It Is and Why It's Problematic
- Jurisdictional policy concerns (Russian IDs eligibility, cross‑border handling): Organization Verification Policy: Eligibility of Russian IDs
Citations
- Unable to verify organization because withpersona won’t validate my identity — includes support: “not able to manually restart or override” Unable to verify organization because withpersona won't validate my identity
- Persona link locked on “Session expired” – need reset — includes support: “unable to restart or extend” Persona link locked on “Session expired” – need reset
- Persona verification reset — no response — includes support: “no retries; cannot extend” Persona verification reset - no response
- OpenAI Non‑Announcement: ID verification required — “Very intrusive… stuck with tokens I cannot use.” OpenAI Non-Announcement: Requiring identity card verification for access to new API models and capabilities
- Organization Verification failed after identity verification — “Session expired,” no regeneration Organization Verification failed after identity verification
- Verify your organization session expired (Tier‑5 users; workaround mixed) Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com
- Unable to verify organization — “waited over the 90 days… AI support bot — no way forward” Unable to verify organization
- “Verify Organization” link does not renew — refresh does not change link "Verify Organization" link does not renew
- Verifying organization issue — “Start ID Check” says expired; refresh returns 400 Verifying organization issue
- Verification with Persona not working — “never identifies my face… session expired” Verification with persona on OpenAI platform not working
- Organization could not be verified; SENTINEL_FRONTIER_ELIGIBLE; cannot create new inquiry Organization could not be verified, what is SENTINEL_FRONTIER_ELIGIBLE?
- Verification issue on second attempt — “identity used in last 90 days” Verification issue on second attempt
- API Organization Verification Links broken — always expired after many retries https://community.openai.com/t/1344375
- Organization Verification Stuck — Persona Session Expired; multi‑account complications https://community.openai.com/t/1337879
- Verify Organization Stuck — “expired” is all you get; told to email support https://community.openai.com/t/1353345
- Link to Persona expired and not generating a new one https://community.openai.com/t/1241921
- Unable to use o3/o4‑mini due to expired verification link; screenshot provided https://community.openai.com/t/1230767
- Requests fail even after verifying organization (o3) https://community.openai.com/t/1231444
- Why do I need to verify ID if I’m already subscribed? — “failed out… with ‘expired’ and no remedy” https://community.openai.com/t/1361522
- Verify as Org rather than individual? — personal ID demanded for org access https://community.openai.com/t/1245171
- Biometric verification required? — user declines due to gating https://community.openai.com/t/1337594
- Organization verification failing — “Failed to upload” (Canada) https://community.openai.com/t/1240598
- Question about API Organization verification upgrade — Persona link “consistently expired” https://community.openai.com/t/1359782
- Unable to access gpt‑image‑1 despite verified organization (model gating) https://community.openai.com/t/1361163
- The broken OpenAI Persona Identity Verification — GDPR concerns https://community.openai.com/t/1354535
- Organization Verification Policy: Eligibility of Russian IDs — legal/compliance concerns https://community.openai.com/t/1242281
Additional supporting threads (selected)
- Workaround reports (“invite a different human owner”): Verify your organization session expired withpersona.com and follow‑up reports of failure/blocked retries: Organization Verification failed after identity verification
Conclusion
Across many independent reports, the ID verification flow is perceived as:
- brittle (frequent “Session expired” dead‑ends),
- non‑recoverable (no reset, no manual override, no retries),
- invasive (government ID + facial biometrics via a third‑party vendor),
- and inconsistently enforced (ongoing gating even after “Verified,” 90‑day identity lockouts across orgs).
Multiple users shared support replies stating there is no way to restart or override failed/expired sessions, and no appeals are available. In aggregate, these anecdotes substantiate a pattern of unresolved failures and lack of remediation for affected developers.
3 Likes
Facing the same issue here. Persona’s algorithm failed to scan correctly and now I can’t regenerate the link. This is the first time I have experienced so much friction trying to verify my ID.
OpenAI should provide more than one ID verification service. I am from India and now there is no option to verify again. Is this a bug or what next?