ID.me works with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to verify USPTO users accessing the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) filing system. This article explains how you can verify for USPTO with a Video Chat Agent.
Before you verify
To verify with a Video Chat Agent, you’ll need:
- A mobile phone that has a camera or a computer with a webcam
- Email address
- Social Security number or ITIN
- Two primary or one primary and two secondary documents
1. Sign in to MyUSPTO
To begin the verification process, sign in to your MyUSPTO account:
- Go to www.uspto.gov and select MyUSPTO in the upper right corner of the page.
- Sign in to your USPTO.gov account. If you haven’t set up an account, select Create a USPTO.gov account and enter your information.
- Access the TEAS filing system. When prompted for a one-time verification, select the appropriate role from the drop down.
- Select Verify with ID.me. If you haven’t created an ID.me account, select Create account and confirm your email to begin.
Note: It’s not possible to have more than one verified account. If you already have an ID.me account, sign in instead
Set up multi-factor authentication
If you’re creating a new ID.me account, you’ll need to set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) to continue with verification. For steps to set up MFA, select one of the following MFA methods:
After you’ve successfully set up MFA, continue to Step 2. Verify your identity with a Video Chat Agent.
2. Verify your identity with a Video Chat Agent
After you’re signed in to your ID.me account, you can verify your identity with a video selfie, or over a video call with a live agent. To verify your identity with a video agent:
- Select Video Chat Agent, then select Continue. Self-service is an automated process where you'll need your Government ID and a selfie.
- Select Get Started, accept ID.me's consent to collect personally identifiable information, then select Continue.
- Enter your information, then select Continue. Make sure the information you provide matches the information on your documents.
- Confirm your Social Security number, then select Continue. Learn why ID.me asks for your Social Security number.
- Select the primary document you’d like to use, then select Continue. You'll need to upload a photo of two primary documents or one primary and two secondary documents. Your document should:
- Show your full name and date of birth
- Be a photo or full-color scan
- Not be a photocopy
- Confirm the name on the document matches the name previously entered, then select Continue.
- Select either one additional primary document or two additional secondary documents, then select Continue.
- Choose how you want to send ID.me your documents, then select Continue. You’ll have the option to take photos of the documents with your smartphone or by uploading files from your computer.
- Upload front and back photos of your document, if required, then select Continue. Not all documents require front and back photos (for example, a U.S. Passport).
- Wait for your documents to be reviewed by an ID.me Video Chat Agent.
3. Connect with a Video Chat Agent
During the call with your Video Chat Agent, they’ll ask you to show your documents, so have them ready. To connect to a live call:
- You’ll receive an email from ID.me inviting you to join a video call with an ID.me Video Chat Agent. Select Check in now to join.
- Wait for the next Video Chat Agent to be available. Make sure to have the documents you uploaded on hand, as you will need to show the documents during the video call. Wait times vary, so here’s what to know if you have a long wait time.
- Confirm that you have your documents and that you consent to having your call recorded, then select Join video call.
- Show the Video Chat Agent your documents and answer a few questions to verify your identity.
- After you’re verified, go back to the TEAS application and sign in with your new credentials to consent to sharing your information with USPTO and access the application. This step securely shares your identity information with USPTO.
After you’re verified
If you verified over a video call with a Video Chat Agent, follow these instructions to file a trademark application:
- Return to my.uspto.gov and sign in with your myUSPTO account.
- Go to the TEAS Application page, select the appropriate role from the drop-down menu and select Verify with ID.me.
- Sign in with your ID.me account and consent to sharing your information with USPTO to be redirected back to the TEAS application page.
You have successfully verified your identity with an ID.me Trusted Referee. You may now access the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) and TEAS International (TEASi) with your myUSPTO account.