Setting Up WhatsApp Account Credentials and Business Verification

Video Tutorial

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. Part 1: Facebook Business Account Access
3. Part 2: Billing Setup
4. Part 3: Business Verification
5. Troubleshooting
6. Important Notes

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Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have: - Facebook Business Account with admin access - Valid Credit/Debit Card for payment method setup - Business Registration Documents: - For India: GST Certificate OR Udyam Aadhaar Certificate - For other countries: Business registration/Tax ID documents - Mobile Device for 2FA verification - Business Email Address associated with Facebook Business

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Part 1: Facebook Business Account Access

Step 1: Navigate to Facebook Business

1. Open your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari recommended)
2. Type in the URL: business.facebook.com
3. Press Enter to load the page

Step 2: Login Process

1. Look for the blue "Login" button in the top right corner
2. Click "Login with Facebook"
3. Enter your Facebook credentials:
   • Email/Phone number field
   • Password field
4. Click the blue "Log In" button

Step 3: Two-Factor Authentication (if enabled)

1. Check your registered mobile device for a notification
2. Tap the notification that says "Someone is trying to log into your account"
3. Select "Yes, it was me" or enter the 6-digit code
4. Wait for the page to redirect to Facebook Business dashboard

Step 4: Clear View Setup

• Important: If using Google Meet or any screen sharing tool, minimize or move the control panel as it may obstruct menu items at the top of the page

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Part 2: Billing Setup

Step 1: Navigate to Your Business App

1. Look at the top navigation bar (black bar at the very top)
2. Find and click "My Apps" button (top right corner, next to your profile picture)
3. Wait for the apps list to load
4. Locate your business app from the list (it will show your app name and icon)
5. Click on your app name to open it

Step 2: Access WhatsApp Configuration

1. In the left sidebar menu, look for the "WhatsApp" option
   • It may be under a "Products" or "Grow" section
   • Icon looks like the WhatsApp logo (green speech bubble)
2. Click "WhatsApp" to expand the submenu
3. Select "Quickstart" from the dropdown options
4. Wait for the page to fully load (you'll see setup options)

Step 3: Navigate to API Setup

1. On the Quickstart page, look for tabs or menu items
2. Click on "API Setup" tab
   • Usually located as a horizontal tab below the page title
   • May also appear as a card/button saying "Set up API"
3. Wait for the API configuration page to load completely

Step 4: Payment Method Configuration

1. Scroll down to find the "Payment Method" section
2. Look for the "Add Payment Method" button
   • Usually a blue or green button
   • May also say "Add Payment" or show a credit card icon
3. Click the button to open payment configuration

Step 5: Business Information Setup

1. In the payment modal/page that opens:

   a. Business Currency Selection:

   • Click the dropdown labeled "Currency"
   • Scroll to find your currency (e.g., INR for India, USD for US)
   • Click to select

   b. Time Zone Configuration:

   • Usually auto-detected based on your location
   • If not, click the dropdown and select your timezone

   c. Tax Information (Optional):

   • Field labeled "Tax ID" or "VAT Number"
   • Leave blank if not applicable
   • Enter if required for your region

2. Click "Continue" or "Next" button at the bottom

Step 6: Add Payment Card Details

1. On the payment method page, look for "Update Payment Method" button
   • Usually on the right side of the screen
   • May be blue or prominent color
2. Click "Update Payment Method"

3. In the new modal/page:

   a. Select Payment Type:

   • Click on "Debit or Credit Card" option
   • Other options may include PayPal (if available in your region)

   b. Enter Card Information:

   • Card Number field: Enter 16-digit card number
   • Name on Card field: Enter exactly as shown on card
   • Expiry Date: Select month and year dropdowns
   • CVV/Security Code: Enter 3-digit code from card back

   c. Billing Address:

   • Address Line 1: Street address
   • Address Line 2: Apartment/Suite (optional)
   • City: Your city name
   • State/Province: Select from dropdown
   • Postal/ZIP Code: Enter code
   • Country: Select from dropdown

4. Review all entered information

5. Click "Save" or "Add Payment Method" button
6. Wait for processing (may take 10-30 seconds)
7. Look for confirmation message or green checkmark

Step 7: Verify Payment Method Addition

1. After successful addition, you should see:
   • Your card last 4 digits displayed
   • Card type (Visa/Mastercard/etc.)
   • "Primary" or "Active" status
2. Click "Close" or "Done" to exit the payment modal
3. Confirm by clicking any additional confirmation buttons

Important Note: Facebook will place a temporary authorization hold (usually ₹1 or $1) to verify the card. This will be reversed within 24-48 hours. No actual charges occur until you start sending WhatsApp messages.

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Part 3: Business Verification

Step 1: Locate Verification Section

1. On the same API Setup page, scroll down below the payment section
2. Look for "Business Verification" section
   • May show as a card with "Not Verified" status
   • Orange or yellow banner indicating verification needed
3. Find the "Start Verification" button
   • Usually a prominent button
   • May say "Verify Business" or "Begin Verification"

Step 2: Begin Verification Process

1. Click "Start Verification" button
2. Wait for the verification wizard to load
3. Read the introductory information about benefits:
   • Green verification badge on WhatsApp
   • Higher messaging limits
   • Access to business features

Step 3: Select Country and Business Type

1. Country Selection:

   • Click the "Country" dropdown
   • Type or scroll to find your country
   • Click to select (e.g., "India")

2. Business Type Selection:

   • May auto-populate based on country
   • Select from options like:
     • Company/Corporation
     • Sole Proprietorship
     • Non-profit
     • Government

Step 4: Enter Business Registration Details

1. For India specifically:

   a. Registration Type dropdown:

   • Select either "GST Number" or "Udyam Aadhaar"
   • Click the option that applies

   b. Registration Number field:

   • For GST: Enter 15-character GSTIN
   • For Udyam: Enter UDYAM-XX-00-0000000 format

   c. Business Legal Name:

   • Enter exactly as on registration document
   • Case-sensitive - match exactly

2. For Other Countries:

   • Enter Tax ID/Business Registration Number
   • Provide Business Legal Name
   • Add any additional required fields

Step 5: Upload Required Documents

1. Document Upload Section:

   • Click "Choose File" or "Upload" button
   • Navigate to document location on computer
   • Select file (PDF, JPG, PNG usually accepted)
   • Click "Open" to upload

2. Required Documents typically include:

   • Business Registration Certificate
   • Tax Registration Document
   • Utility Bill (for address proof)
   • Bank Statement (recent 3 months)

3. For each document:

   • Wait for upload to complete (progress bar)
   • Verify green checkmark appears
   • Ensure file name is visible

Step 6: Review and Submit

1. Review all entered information:

   • Check for typos in registration numbers
   • Verify business name matches documents
   • Ensure all required documents are uploaded

2. Check the terms and conditions checkbox if present

3. Click "Submit for Review" or "Submit Verification"
4. Wait for submission confirmation
5. Note the estimated review time (usually 24-48 hours)

Step 7: Post-Submission

1. You'll see a confirmation screen showing:
   • "Verification Pending" status
   • Reference number for tracking
   • Estimated completion time
2. Click "Done" or "Back to Dashboard"
3. Check email for confirmation receipt

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Payment Method Not Saving

• Issue: Card details not accepting
• Solution:
  • Ensure card is enabled for international transactions
  • Check if card has sufficient balance
  • Try different browser or clear cache
  • Contact bank to whitelist Facebook charges

Verification Documents Rejected

• Issue: Documents not accepted during upload
• Solution:
  • Ensure file size is under 5MB
  • Use PDF or high-quality JPG/PNG
  • Document should be clearly readable
  • All pages of multi-page documents should be combined

Login Issues

• Issue: Can't access Facebook Business
• Solution:
  • Ensure you have Business Manager access
  • Check if account has necessary permissions
  • Try incognito/private browsing mode
  • Clear browser cookies for facebook.com

Navigation Elements Not Visible

• Issue: Can't find menu items or buttons
• Solution:
  • Zoom out browser to 90% or 100%
  • Check if using ad-blockers (disable temporarily)
  • Try different browser
  • Ensure JavaScript is enabled

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Important Notes

Billing Information

• No immediate charges: Card is only verified, not charged
• Usage-based billing: Charges apply only when sending messages
• Pricing tiers: Different rates for different message types:
  • User-initiated conversations (24-hour window)
  • Business-initiated conversations
  • Template messages

Verification Benefits

• Green Badge: Official business verification badge
• Higher Limits: Increased messaging limits
• Display Name: Ability to customize business display name
• Business Features: Access to catalogs, labels, and more

Timeline Expectations

• Payment Setup: Immediate (few minutes)
• Card Verification: 24-48 hours for hold reversal
• Business Verification: 2-5 business days typically
• API Access: Available immediately after payment setup

Post-Setup Requirements

1. Phone Number Verification: Add and verify business phone number
2. Template Creation: Create message templates for approval
3. Webhook Configuration: Set up endpoints for receiving messages
4. API Integration: Implement API calls in your application
5. Testing: Use test numbers before going live

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Next Steps After Completion

1. Configure WhatsApp Business Profile:

   • Business description
   • Category
   • Business hours
   • Website URL

2. Create Message Templates:

   • Navigate to "Message Templates" section
   • Create templates for different use cases
   • Submit for approval (24-hour review)

3. Set Up Webhooks:

   • Configure callback URL
   • Set up verification token
   • Subscribe to message events

4. Test Integration:

   • Use test phone numbers
   • Send test messages
   • Verify webhook reception

5. Go Live:

   • Switch from test to production
   • Monitor usage and billing
   • Scale as needed

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Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: 2025
For latest updates, refer to official WhatsApp Business Platform documentation