Microblogging come messaging service Twitter, Inc. is opening up its verified account process by allowing anyone to apply for a blue checkmark next to their name, a mark that identifies (as the name may suggest) that the account holder is indeed who they say they are.

Twitter first introduced verified accounts in 2009 as a way to provide confirmation that an account on the site was from a genuine person, organization or business versus an imposter account, something that plagued the platform from its earliest days.

Previously Twitter account holders could not apply to have a verified account, rather Twitter had to identify them as being worthy of the status and approaching the account holder directly to see if they would like to be verified.

Despite some reports claiming that the new application process will allow “practically everyone” to gain a blue verified checkmark, Twitter itself says that verification will still be restricted to accounts that are “determined to be of public interest,” and that “typically this includes accounts maintained by public figures and organizations in music, TV, film, fashion, government, politics, religion, journalism, media, sports, business, and other key interest areas.”

“We want to make it even easier for people to find creators and influencers on Twitter so it makes sense for us to let people apply for verification,” Twitter’s Vice President of User Services Tina Bhatnagar said in a statement. “We hope opening up this application process results in more people finding great, high-quality accounts to follow, and for these creators and influencers to connect with a broader audience.”

How to apply

If you fall into one of the categories above, the process of applying for Twitter verified account status is fairly easy, be it that it’s not clear how liberal Twitter will be in awarding status to people within each area.

To start with, your Twitter profile should include the basics: header and profile picture, bio, a website and confirmed email address, but in addition must also include a birthday date (for a personal account) and a verified mobile number.

In addition, Tweets must be set to public in Twitter’s privacy settings.

If you have an account that does not reflect your actual name or company name you will be out of luck, as the Twitter name must reflect the actual name of the person or company, and the profile and header pictures should reflect the company or personal account as well.

Any email address for the account should also reflect a company email address in the case of corporate Twitter accounts.

If you’ve ticked all the boxes so far, Twitter then asks you to tell them why they should verify the account, including an explanation for a personal account and why the person has an “impact in their field,” while a corporate account should explain the mission of the company.

URLs must be provided to support the request and should include sites “that help express the account holder’s newsworthiness or relevancy in their field,” according to Twitter’s application process.

Last but not least, Twitter may ask a user to scan and upload a legible copy of a government-issued ID to further confirm the identity of the person making the application.

If you’ve think you’ve got what it takes to have a Twitter verified account, click here, then follow the prompts.

Image credit: jackdorsey/Flickr/CC by 2.0