The direct answer: Instagram's own page states there are two ways to get the verified badge: subscribe to Meta Verified, or apply for free if your account meets the eligibility criteria. There is no follower threshold on either route. A decision on the free application takes up to 30 days. And Instagram lists "attempt to verify your account through a third party" as a reason the badge is removed, so anyone selling you verification is selling you a documented way to lose it.
| Free application | Meta Verified subscription | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Public figures, brands and known entities | Eligible personal or creator accounts |
| Cost | Nothing | A monthly subscription, priced by region |
| Core requirement | Authentic, Unique, Complete, Notable | 18 or older, an available country, a government photo ID |
| Timing | A decision within up to 30 days | Review within up to 3 business days |
| Follower threshold | None | None |
1. What the badge means, and what it does not
Instagram defines it as confirming "the authentic presence" of the account, and adds explicitly that it is "not a symbol to show importance, authority or subject matter expertise".
So the badge says "this account is who it claims to be". It does not say the account is important, and it does not say the account will reach more people. No official statement connects the badge to distribution.
2. Route 1: apply for free
The four criteria as Instagram publishes them:
Authentic
The account represents a real person, registered business or entity.
Unique
One account per person or entity, with limited exceptions such as language-specific accounts.
Complete
The account is public and has a profile photo, a bio and at least one post. Building the profile itself is covered in optimize your Instagram profile.
Notable
This is the hard one. Instagram says the account must represent a well-known, highly searched person or entity, that it reviews whether the account is "featured in multiple news sources", and that "we don't consider paid or sponsored media" as part of that review.
In other words, notability is built off Instagram, not on it. Buying followers moves you no closer to this criterion. The organic route is in grow your followers organically.
3. How to submit the request
- Open Instagram on mobile. The path is not available on desktop.
- Go to Settings, then Account type and tools.
- Choose Request verification.
- Enter your full name and attach a government-issued photo ID, or business documents if the account represents an entity.
- Submit once, and wait.
Three facts from the official page: "submitting a request doesn't guarantee" verification. Submitting multiple applications cancels them. And Instagram verification is separate from Facebook verification.
A decision arrives within up to 30 days, and if it is declined you can reapply in 30 days.
4. Route 2: Meta Verified
Meta Verified is a paid subscription that provides the badge along with other benefits. Four plans are published: Standard, Plus, Premium and Max, differing in benefits such as enhanced support, impersonation protection and links in Reels.
Who is eligible
- 18 or older, or the age of majority in your country.
- Located in a country where Meta Verified is available.
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Meeting minimum activity requirements on the account.
- Advanced Protection turned on, and it cannot be disabled while subscribed.
- The creator subscription covers personal or creator accounts; businesses have a separate variant.
What happens during review
Profile fields are locked during review, and you must complete identity verification within three days or the subscription is cancelled and refunded. The review takes up to three business days. You can verify up to two profiles added to the same Accounts Center.
Where it is available
Meta publishes no country list for Meta Verified. The official pages say only that "plans, benefits, and availability may vary by region, by app, and by account", and that the product is "not available in all regions". So no honest article can tell you whether it is available in your specific country. The one reliable check is to open Accounts Center in your own account and see whether the option appears for you.
5. How much does verification cost?
Two answers, because there are two routes:
- The free application: nothing. Instagram charges nothing to apply, and there is no expedite fee.
- Meta Verified: a subscription. The prices published on Meta's own site are US prices, read on 18 August 2026: $14.99 per month for Standard, $49.99 for Plus, $149.99 for Premium, and $499.99 for Max. The same page also advertises a discounted Standard price of $11.99 per month when you subscribe from the web rather than in the app, and states that "features, availability and pricing may vary by region and app" and that the product is "not available in all regions". Do not plan around those figures for your own country; open Accounts Center and read the price shown to you.
6. Why "verification services" can cost you the badge
This is not editorial opinion, it is a published clause. Instagram's page on badge removal lists these among the reasons:
- Advertising, transferring or selling the badge.
- "Attempt to verify your account through a third party."
- Providing false information, where the other official page adds that the account may also be disabled.
So even if a middleman appears to "succeed", you have handed Instagram a documented reason to remove the badge later, and possibly to disable the account.
Watch also for direct messages claiming to be from Meta Verified and asking for login details or payment. The official routes begin inside the app, never in a DM.
7. Why applications are rejected and badges removed
| Reason | Applies to |
|---|---|
| The account is incomplete or private | The free application |
| Notability not met, or coverage is paid or sponsored | The free application |
| Multiple accounts for the same entity | The free application |
| False information provided | Both, and the account may be disabled |
| Advertising, transferring or selling the badge | After you have it |
| Attempting verification through a third party | After you have it |
8. Is getting verified worth it?
It depends why you want it. If the goal is protecting your name against impersonation, the badge genuinely helps people tell you apart. If the goal is more reach, no official statement connects the badge to distribution. The Meta Verified Standard plan lists "search optimization" among its benefits, and that is the whole of what is published in that direction: a listed feature, not a promise of results.
More to the point: the badge is usually a result of growth rather than a cause of it. The full journey is in how to grow on Instagram.
9. FAQ
Do you need 1,000 followers to get verified on Instagram?
No. Instagram publishes no follower threshold for either route.
How do I get a blue check on Instagram?
Either apply for free if you meet the four criteria, or subscribe to Meta Verified where it is available. There is no third route.
Can a regular person get verified on Instagram?
Through Meta Verified, yes, where it is available and where you meet the eligibility requirements. Through the free route, only if the notability criterion is met.
How much does Meta Verified cost?
US pricing starts at $14.99 per month for Standard as read on 18 August 2026, and Meta states pricing varies by region. Check Accounts Center for the price offered to you.
Is paying for Meta Verified worth it?
It is worth it for impersonation protection and support. It is not documented as a way to increase reach.
Is buying verification from a service safe?
Instagram lists attempting verification through a third party among the reasons a badge is removed. That alone answers the question.
10. Practical summary
Two routes, and no third. If your account represents a person or entity covered in genuine, unpaid news sources, submit the free application once from mobile and wait up to 30 days. If you want the badge as a paid service, open Accounts Center and see whether Meta Verified is offered to you and at what price. And do not go through any intermediary, because Instagram names that specifically as a reason to remove the badge.
The rest of the Instagram library is collected in the Instagram Resource Hub.
11. Official sources
- Requirements to apply for a verified badge: "there are two ways to get the verified badge", the four criteria, and "we don't consider paid or sponsored media".
- What the verified badge means: authentic presence, and "not a symbol to show importance, authority or subject matter expertise".
- How to request verification: the mobile-only path, documents, and "submitting a request doesn't guarantee".
- Decisions and badge removal: up to 30 days, reapply in 30 days, and attempting verification through a third party.
- Meta Verified for creators: the four plans, review up to three business days, and "availability may vary by region".
- Meta Verified eligibility: 18 or older, an available country, government photo ID, minimum activity, and up to two profiles.
- The subscription process: completing verification within three days, locked profile fields, and subscriber-only support.
- The Meta Verified page: US pricing as read on 18 August 2026, and "not available in all regions".
- Meta Verified for businesses.