Short version. The WhatsApp green tick is now a blue checkmark. For numbers on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) it comes with Official Business Account (OBA) status, which is free but not automatic. Meta lists five criteria: you comply with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, the number has been on the Platform for at least 30 days, your business portfolio is Business Verified, the number has two-step verification turned on, and its display name is approved. Then you click Submit Request in WhatsApp Manager and Meta reviews it. If it is denied, you wait 30 days before asking again. Numbers on the WhatsApp Business app take a different route: a paid Meta Verified or Meta One plan, with the badge pending Meta's verification. Many legitimate businesses run perfectly well without the badge.
What the WhatsApp green tick actually is
People still call it the green tick, but the colour has changed. Meta's documentation described the Official Business Account badge as a green checkmark until at least July 2024, and as a blue checkmark from September 2024 onward. Today Meta defines an Official Business Account as a business phone number owned by a business that has been verified as an authentic business, with a blue checkmark beside its name in the contacts view. WhatsApp's Help Center calls it a verified badge, "also known as a blue tick or blue checkmark". A verified badge can show in chats, on the business profile, in the Calls tab, on incoming calls and on context cards.
There are now two routes to that blue badge. Official Business Account is free, on request, and only for numbers on the WhatsApp Business Platform (API). Meta Verified, and the new Meta One business tiers, are paid subscriptions for numbers on the WhatsApp Business app, and they only give the badge after Meta verifies your business. Neither route is guaranteed. If anyone offers to "get you the WhatsApp verified badge" for a fee, treat that as a red flag: only Meta decides.
This guide focuses on OBA, because that is the route for businesses on the API. The app route is covered in the comparison further down.
Green tick vs business verification: the confusion
Almost everyone conflates two completely different things. Getting this distinction right saves a lot of wasted effort.
Business verification means confirming your business in Meta Business Suite: you submit your legal business details and a document such as your UAE trade licence, so Meta can confirm you are a real, registered entity. Meta accepts business registration or licence documents in Arabic or English, as long as they are not expired. Verification is not required to start messaging: new business portfolios can send at a messaging limit of 250, and verifying your business is one of three ways to move up to 2,000. It is required for Official Business Account status.
The green tick, meaning Official Business Account status, is separate. Meta says verifying your business is different from Meta Verified and won't give you a verified badge. You can be fully verified, running the official API, sending broadcasts and running chatbots, and still not have the badge. That is not a bug in your setup. The badge needs four more criteria, its own request and Meta's review.
| Aspect | Business verification | Green tick (OBA) |
|---|---|---|
| What it confirms | You are a real, registered business | Your number meets Meta's OBA criteria and passed Meta's review |
| Where it happens | Meta Business Suite | Request in WhatsApp Manager, reviewed by Meta |
| Required to use the API? | No, you can start at a 250 limit | No |
| Can you request it? | Yes, you submit documents | Yes, via Submit Request in WhatsApp Manager |
| Guaranteed if eligible? | Yes, if documents check out | No, Meta reviews each request |
| Based on brand fame? | No | Not in Meta's written criteria since May 2026 |
In short: business verification is paperwork that proves you exist. The green tick is a separate request that needs verification plus four other checks, and Meta makes the final call.
Do you even need the green tick?
This is the question worth asking before chasing the badge. For most UAE businesses, the honest answer is: it is nice to have, but you do not need it to run a professional, trusted WhatsApp channel.
The green tick is mostly a trust signal. It does not raise your sending limits or make messages cheaper. It does change one practical thing: a number without OBA does not appear in WhatsApp's in-app search unless the customer has saved it, and Meta recommends applying for improved discoverability. Limits work separately. New business portfolios start at 250; verifying your business (or one of two other paths Meta lists) moves you to 2,000; after that the limit scales automatically to 10,000, then 100,000, then unlimited while your quality stays high and you use at least half your limit. Limits are set per business portfolio and shared across all its numbers. None of that depends on the badge.
What the badge does add is a small credibility bump when a customer opens the chat: it confirms at a glance that this is the official brand and not an impersonator. That matters most for well-known consumer brands that get impersonated. For a newer UAE SMB, much of the same trust comes from an approved display name (once approved, your business name shows in the chat header and chat list), a complete business profile, a logo, and consistent, opted-in messaging. Customers rarely refuse to buy because a checkmark is missing; they refuse because the experience feels off. Fix the experience first.
How Meta decides: the five criteria
Older versions of Meta's documentation made notability the main test: the brand had to be well-known and frequently searched for, judged largely from news coverage. That wording is gone. By May 2026 Meta had removed both notability and the "well-known" criterion from its written OBA criteria. The current doc, updated 19 September 2026, says these criteria must be met:
- Policy compliance. The business complies with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
- 30 days on the Platform. The business has been registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days.
- Business Verified. The business portfolio that owns the number has completed business verification.
- Two-step verification. The phone number has two-step verification turned on.
- Approved display name. The number's display name has been approved.
Meta also says business employees, test accounts and WhatsApp Business app numbers are not eligible. Meeting the criteria makes you eligible; approval is still a review by Meta, not an automatic grant. Meta no longer lists notability, but a strong public brand presence may still help, so a consistent, real presence across the web is worth keeping.
Step-by-step: how to request the verified badge
The badge is not switched on for you when you meet the criteria. You meet them, then you submit a request yourself. The sequence looks like this:
- Get on the official WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API). OBA is only for API numbers; numbers on the WhatsApp Business app are not eligible (their route is Meta Verified, covered below). Meta requires the number to have been registered on the Platform for at least 30 days before you apply. If you are not there yet, our WhatsApp Business API setup guide for the UAE walks through it.
- Complete business verification in Meta Business Suite. Submit your legal business details and a document such as your UAE trade licence, with the legal name and address or phone matching what you enter. This is one of the five OBA criteria, and it also moves your messaging limit from 250 to 2,000.
- Get your display name approved. The name must clearly relate to your legal name and match your external branding, such as your website. No generic terms, no "Official" or "Verified", no promotional text or URLs. Meta runs display-name verification automatically when you reach a higher messaging limit, and your name only shows in the chat header and chat list once it is approved.
- Turn on two-step verification. Enable it for the number in WhatsApp Manager. Meta lists it as a hard requirement.
- Submit the request. In WhatsApp Manager, go to Phone numbers > Profile > Official business account > Submit Request. If you meet the criteria but the option is missing, Meta says to contact your Meta point of contact, your Solution Provider's support, or Meta Support. You get a notification saying whether it was granted. Meta does not state a review time, and if the request is denied you must wait 30 days before submitting another one.
Do all five steps correctly and you have done everything within your control. The final decision is still Meta's, and that is the same for every vendor, because everyone rides the same Meta platform underneath.
Not sure where you stand? Run our free WhatsApp green tick checker, which goes through each of Meta's requirements and lists what to fix first.
Why it might be rejected, and what to do instead
A denial means, in Meta's words, that the number "does not meet the eligibility requirements at this time". The usual gaps are:
- A criterion is not met yet. The business is not verified, the display name is still pending or was declined, two-step verification is off, or the number has been on the Platform for less than 30 days.
- Policy problems. OBA requires compliance with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
- The wrong kind of number. Employee numbers, test accounts and WhatsApp Business app numbers are not eligible.
Meta's doc does not describe an appeal route for OBA. After a denial you must wait 30 days before submitting another request, so use that time well:
- Fix whichever criterion was missing, then resubmit once the 30 days are up.
- Keep your display name, logo and business profile clean and consistent so the chat clearly reads as your brand.
- Protect your quality rating by messaging only opted-in contacts with useful, on-brand content, so limits rise and warnings stay away.
- Focus on the channel doing its job: reliable replies, clear opt-ins, and campaigns that customers actually welcome. That converts far more than a checkmark does.
Reframed honestly: the written criteria are now a checklist you can work through, and the final review is Meta's. Get the checklist right, keep the channel healthy, and reapply after the wait if you need to.
How Adjoltz helps
Adjoltz is a Dubai-based, done-for-you WhatsApp marketing service running on Meta's official Cloud API. Here is exactly what we can and cannot do on the green tick, stated plainly so there are no surprises.
What we do: we set up your number on the official WhatsApp Business Platform correctly, handle your display-name approval, turn on two-step verification, and get your business verification in Meta Business Suite done properly. Those are the prerequisites Meta lists for Official Business Account status. Once your number has been on the Platform for 30 days, we submit the OBA request on your behalf. We then run the whole channel (broadcasts, chatbots, shared inbox, catalog and analytics) at 0% message markup, billed in AED, in Arabic and English, with the number and WhatsApp Business Account owned by you.
What we do not do: we do not promise to "get you verified", because approval is Meta's decision. No provider can guarantee it, and we will not pretend otherwise. If a request is denied, we will tell you which requirement to fix and resubmit after Meta's 30-day wait.
Adjoltz was established in 2026, so we are the newest name in this space, but the setup we do is on Meta's official platform, and everything that matters is independently verifiable: you own your number and WhatsApp Business Account, billing is month-to-month with no lock-in, and Meta bills you for messages directly at its published rate. You do not have to take our word for the important parts.
Green tick, blue tick and Meta Verified: how they fit together
People searching for a "blue tick on WhatsApp" usually mean one of three things. Two of them are now the same badge, reached by different routes.
| What people call it | What it really is | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Green tick | The old name for WhatsApp's verified business badge, shown as a blue checkmark since 2024. On API numbers it comes with Official Business Account status. | Free, on request: meet Meta's five criteria and click Submit Request in WhatsApp Manager. Meta reviews it. You cannot buy it. |
| Blue tick on WhatsApp | Today's name for that same verified badge: WhatsApp's Help Center calls it "a blue tick or blue checkmark". Separately, the blue ticks under a message are read receipts, which have nothing to do with verification. | The badge: through OBA (API numbers) or Meta Verified / Meta One (app numbers). Read receipts are automatic. |
| Meta Verified | A paid monthly subscription. On the WhatsApp Business app it puts the blue verified badge on your business profile, chat header and channel, pending Meta's verification, and every plan (Business Standard, Plus, Premium and Max) includes impersonation protection, Meta Verified in-app support and a custom web page. In September 2026 Meta announced Meta One, new business tiers (Essential, Advanced, Expert and Max) that also include the badge, pending verification; WhatsApp says it is in limited testing. | Open the WhatsApp Business app > Tools > Meta Verified. If you don't see it, it is not available to you yet. Plans and availability vary by region and account, and the price is shown in the app. Paying does not guarantee the badge: review takes up to three business days, and payment is refunded if Meta cannot verify your business. |
So if someone offers to sell you a "WhatsApp blue tick", ask what they mean. The free OBA cannot be bought from anyone. The paid route is a Meta Verified or Meta One subscription taken out in the app, and even then the badge depends on Meta verifying your business. And business verification, the paperwork step that lifts your messaging limit and is required for OBA, is a separate thing again, covered step by step in how to verify a WhatsApp Business account.
Myths vs reality
| What people believe | The reality |
|---|---|
| You can pay to get the green tick | Not OBA: it is free and cannot be bought. A paid Meta Verified or Meta One plan can add the badge to an app number, only after Meta verifies you |
| Business verification gives you the badge | No, it is one of five OBA criteria, and you still have to submit a request |
| The badge turns on automatically once you qualify | No, you have to click Submit Request in WhatsApp Manager |
| You need the tick to send broadcasts | No, you can message from the start at a 250 limit, and verification and quality raise it |
| A big subscription or ad budget earns OBA | No, OBA depends on Meta's criteria and review, not spend |
| A provider can guarantee it | No, nobody can; the decision is Meta's |
| Without it your account looks fake | No, an approved display name and clean profile build trust |
Getting connected is covered step by step on our WhatsApp Business API in Dubai page. Choosing a provider? Read our WhatsApp Business Solution Provider guide first. See if you qualify with the WhatsApp green tick checker.
The honest bottom line. The WhatsApp green tick is now a blue checkmark. For API numbers it comes with Official Business Account status: free, on request, and decided by Meta once you meet five written criteria. It is worth having for trust and in-app search, but never a requirement to run a strong channel. Get set up correctly on the official API, work through the criteria, and submit the request. Our full UAE WhatsApp marketing guide covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy the WhatsApp green tick?
Not the Official Business Account (OBA) version. OBA is free: you meet Meta's criteria, submit a request in WhatsApp Manager, and Meta decides. No provider can sell or guarantee it. There is a paid route to a blue verified badge on the WhatsApp Business app: a Meta Verified or Meta One business subscription. Even then the badge is pending Meta's verification, and payment is refunded if Meta cannot verify your business.
What is the difference between the WhatsApp green tick and business verification?
They are two separate things. Business verification confirms your business in Meta Business Suite. It is not required to start messaging, since new business portfolios can send at a 250 limit, but it is one way to reach 2,000 and it is required for OBA. It does not give you the badge by itself. The green tick, now shown as a blue checkmark, is the Official Business Account badge, which needs business verification plus four other criteria and a request you submit. You can be fully verified and running the API without the badge, and that is normal.
How does a UAE business request the WhatsApp verified badge?
Meta lists five criteria: comply with the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, be registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform for at least 30 days, have a Business Verified portfolio, turn on two-step verification for the number, and have an approved display name. Then go to WhatsApp Manager, Phone numbers, Profile, Official business account, and click Submit Request. Nothing happens automatically. Meta reviews the request and notifies you of the result. If it is denied, you must wait 30 days before submitting another request.
Why did WhatsApp not give my business the green tick?
Usually one of Meta's criteria is not met yet: the business is not verified, the display name is not approved, two-step verification is off, the number has been on the Platform for less than 30 days, or there is a policy problem. Employee numbers, test accounts and WhatsApp Business app numbers are not eligible at all. Meta no longer lists notability as a criterion, though a strong public brand presence may still help. Fix the gap and reapply once 30 days have passed since the denial.
Do I need the green tick to run WhatsApp marketing in the UAE?
No. The badge is a trust signal, not a functional requirement. Many legitimate businesses run broadcasts, chatbots and shared inboxes on the official WhatsApp Business API without it. It does not raise messaging limits or lower message prices; business verification and a good quality rating do that. The one practical difference: numbers without OBA do not appear in WhatsApp's in-app search unless the customer has saved them.
What is the blue tick on WhatsApp?
It can mean two things. WhatsApp's verified badge for businesses is now officially called a blue tick or blue checkmark; it used to be known as the green tick. Separately, blue ticks under a message are read receipts, which mean your message was read and say nothing about verification. Businesses get the blue badge through Official Business Account (API numbers) or a paid Meta Verified or Meta One plan (WhatsApp Business app numbers).
Is Meta Verified the same as the WhatsApp green tick?
It is a different route to the same kind of badge. Meta Verified is a paid monthly subscription for WhatsApp Business app numbers that includes a verified badge, impersonation protection, Meta Verified in-app support and a custom web page, with the badge pending Meta's verification. On WhatsApp it puts the blue badge on your business profile, chat header and channel. In September 2026 Meta announced Meta One, new business tiers that also include the badge and are in limited testing. The green tick in the Official Business Account sense is free, only for API numbers, and granted by Meta on request.
Can I buy a WhatsApp verified badge?
For a WhatsApp Business app number, you can subscribe to Meta Verified or Meta One, and the badge follows only if Meta verifies your business; if it cannot, the payment is refunded. For an API number, the badge comes through Official Business Account, which is free and cannot be bought. No agency or reseller can sell or guarantee either one.
