Create an ID.me Account

CARES Portal

July 2020
Introduction

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This document outlines the processes associated for credentialing and identity proofing as defined by

NIST SP 800-63 v3, Digital Identity Guidelines, to obtain an ID.me credential. ID.me is a certified

commercial identity provider offering Identity Assurance Level (IAL) 2 and Authentication Assurance

Level (AAL) 2 credential.

 All Payroll Support Program recipients who attempt to logon to the CARES Portal for the first 

time need to sign up with ID.me through the following three-step process:

 Email Verification (Slides 4– 5)

 Two Factor Authentication Verification (Slides 6 – 9)

 Identity Verification (Slides 10 – 30)

 Examples are provided for the following Identity Verification Options

- Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID (Slides 11 – 20)

- Option 2: Virtual In-Person Identity Proofing (Slides 21 – 31)

 Process to logon to CARES Portal once ID.me registration is complete (Slides 33 through 35)

 NIST SP 800-63 v3

 http://www.nist.gov/nstic/
Launch Website & Sign Up for ID.me

► Click the following link:

 https://portal.treasury.gov/cares

 For best site performance, it is recommended that you use Google Chrome

► Select sign up for an account

 Input the email address that you used to submit the PSP application, and create a password

 Check Box – Accept terms of service and privacy policy

 Select Sign up

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Email Verification

► ID.me will send an email for verification to the 

email account you used to register

 ID.me will send a confirmation email with 6 

digit code

 Once you select Confirm Your Email in your 

email, ID.me will verify automatically

 Select Continue

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Note: Web browser session is suspended 

until you respond to the ID.me email 

confirmation. The email confirmation link 

and code will expire after 15 minutes.
Email Verification

► Open the ID.me email and acknowledge the receipt

 Below is a example of the email you will receive (left image) with conformation and 6 digit 

code 

 Select Confirm your Email button, you will see the confirmation notice (right image) 

 You should return to your browser session

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Two-Factor Authentication

► Select one of the options to setup two-factor 

authentication

 Text Message or Phone Call (Preferred) 

 Push Notification

 Code Generator Application

 FIDO U2F Security Key

 Mobile Yubikey

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Note: This presentation captures screen 

shots for the first option: Text Message or 

Phone Call. 
Two-Factor Authentication: Text Message or Phone Call

► Select Text message 

 Enter your phone number

 Select Text message

 Select Continue

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Note: Please use your valid mobile phone 

number.
Two-Factor Authentication: Text Message or Phone Call

► Verify phone number

 6 digit verification code generated 

automatically

 Select Continue

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Note: The code will expire after 15 

minutes.
Two-Factor Authentication: Text Message or Phone Call

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Congratulations! You have enabled 

two factor authentication for your 

account. Next step is to verify your 

identity.

ID.me will send you an email 

notification that you enabled twofactor authentication.

► Confirmation
Identity Verification 

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Note: You must use an active / valid 

license, state ID, or Passport

► Choose a verification method

 Option 1:

• Upload photos of your license or state ID (Preferred)

» Slides 13-22

• Upload a photo of your passport

• Upload a photo of your passport card

 Option 2:

• I don’t live in the United States (International)

» Slides 21-30
Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

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► Step 1

 Choose how to submit photos

 Take a picture with my device 

 Upload a photo
Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

12

► Step 1 (continued)

 Enter your phone number

 Select Continue
Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

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Note: You current web browser session is 

suspended until you respond to the action 

required. 

► Step 1 (continued)

 A text message will be sent to your phone
► Step 2

 ID.me will send a text to your phone

 Select the link from your phone to upload the front 

and back of your photo ID

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Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID
► Step 3

 Upload a selfie

 Once photo is uploaded, ID.me will verify 

automatically

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Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID
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► Step 3 (continued)

 Once you have completed the front and back 

license photos and selfie, the following 

message is displayed on your phone.

 You should return to your browser session

Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID
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Note: If ID.me cannot verify your 

information from your license, an 

additional screen may appear for you to 

input your data manually.

► Step 3 (continued)

 Your browser session indicates the system is 

in process of verifying your identity

 It may take up to 15 seconds

 An additional screen may appear for manual 

data input if ID.me cannot verify information 

on your license

Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID
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► Step 4

 Enter 9 digit Social Security Number

 A text will be sent to cell phone number

 Select Continue

Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID
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Note: Please verify the information listed

Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

► Step 5

 Confirm information

 Check box – Accept the use of Fair Credit 

Reporting Act

 Select Continue
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Note: If ID.me cannot verify your SSN or 

phone number, an additional screen may 

appear for you to input your data 

manually.

Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

► Step 5 (continued)

 Your browser session indicates the system is 

in process of verifying your identity

 It may take up to 10 seconds

 ID.me will send you a Congratulations email

 Skip Slide 21 if ID.me completed your identity 

verification
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Option 1: Upload Photos of Your License or State ID

► If ID.me could not verify your identity:

 Select Verify Identify via Video Call

 Start Over (Optional)

• Select one of the options to setup twofactor authentication

» Text Message or Phone Call 

(Preferred)

» Push Notification

» Code Generator Application

» FIDO U2F Security Key

» Mobile Yubikey
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Option B: User initiates Virtual InPerson Identity Proofing after one 

unsuccessful online (self-service) 

identity proofing attempt

Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

Option A: User initiates Virtual In-Person 

Identity Proofing by selecting “I don’t live in 

the United States”
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Review the overview of the 3 step identity verification 

process

► When you are ready to proceed, select “Get Started”
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Confirm that your personal information shown on 

the screen is accurate and select Continue
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Confirm that the address shown on the screen is 

your current or most recent address and select 

Continue
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Note: You must use an active / valid 

license, state ID, or Passport

Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► You can either upload two (2) Primary IDs or one (1) 

Primary and two (2) Secondary IDs as evidence

► In the example shown on this slide, the user chose two 

Primary IDs and was prompted to select them via the 

dropdown menu at the bottom of the screen

► The user chose the U.S. Passport and Driver’s License, 

which we will see on the next screen
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► The user in this example is given the option to 

either upload photos of their documents from 

their computer or take them directly with their 

mobile phone
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► You will be taken through each step of the 

upload process based on the pieces of 

identity evidence you select
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Enter your mobile phone number, and you 

will be texted a link to capture a photo of 

yourself (selfie capture) 
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Once you capture and 

successfully upload your selfie, 

you will receive a confirmation 

screen that prompts you to 

return to your original browser 

to resume the session
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Option 2: How to start a Virtual In-Person Proofing Session

► Review your personal information to ensure it is correct and 

then select Continue
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Website Redirect

► Once ID.me identity verification is complete, you will be redirected to the CARES Portal 

landing page
Logon to CARES Portal

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► Sign in with ID.me Account
Logon to CARES Portal

► Complete Logon

► Receive authentication code via phone

► Select Continue (left)

► Select Continue (right) 

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Log On 

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Note: Successful logon (authentication) to CARES Portal