Identify validation stalled "In Progress" for Azure Artifact Signing

Question

Trying to get Azure Artifact Signing going, I submitted the requested evidence, but the status has been "In Progress" for over a week now.

Life is complicated, and I may not have chosen the optimal evidence - how do I get this out of "In Progress"?

Answer 1

Hi @Peter

Microsoft documents that public identity validation can take 1 to 20 business days, and it can take longer if additional documentation is required.

Since you have already submitted the evidence that was requested, please do not create another identity-validation request simply because you are unsure whether a different document might have been better.

For an organization validation, the expected workflow is:

In Progress → Action Required (if Microsoft needs something from you) → In Progress → Completed/Failed

Important points:

1. If additional evidence is required, Microsoft sends an email and changes the request status to Action Required, at which point you can upload the requested documents in the Azure portal. Microsoft also limits additional-document uploads to three attempts.
2. Microsoft specifically advises that creating additional identity-validation requests for the same entity while one is already in progress does not help, and identity-validation requests cannot be expedited.

You can check for the below points:

1. Artifact Signing account → Identity validations to confirm that the status is still In Progress rather than Action Required.
2. The primary and secondary email addresses associated with the request, including Junk/Spam folders, for any request for further verification or documentation.
3. That the documents you already supplied are current and that the organization name/address match the information used in the identity-validation request.

If the request remains In Progress beyond the documented processing period, or if you would like Microsoft to check the specific validation request, contact Azure Support.

When opening the support request, make sure to provide the Identity Validation ID.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

If the identity validation is still In Progress after more than a week, the supported actions are:

1. Check the primary email address again, including Junk or Spam.
   • Status updates and requests for more documentation are sent by email.
   • If email verification was missed, the verification link expires after seven days and a new identity validation request is required.
2. Verify the mailbox can receive external messages with links.
   • Ensure the primary and secondary email addresses can receive messages from external senders.
   • Ask the email administrator to confirm that firewall, security, or filtering policies are not blocking the message.
3. Review whether the submitted evidence matches the request details exactly.
   • For organization validation, public records for the legal business entity should be up to date.
   • If more documentation was requested, uploaded documents must be current, and there are only three attempts for documentation upload.
   • If account information does not match legal documents or official company registration details, a new request may be needed.
4. Allow for the documented processing window.
   • Identity validation processing is documented as 1 to 20 business days, and it can take longer if more documentation is required.
5. If no email was received and nothing is actionable in the portal, delete and recreate the request only when appropriate.
   • If the email verification message was missed or cannot be located, the guidance is to delete the current identity validation request and submit a new one.
   • Deletion is only available when the identity validation is not in In Progress state.
   • Warning: deleting an identity validation can stop renewal of linked certificate profiles and impact signing. A deleted request cannot be recovered.
6. Request assistance through the supported channels.
   • For identity validation questions, use Azure Support or Microsoft Q&A with the artifact-signing tag.
   • Creating additional identity validation requests for the same entity while one is already in progress does not help, and requests cannot be expedited.

For the specific concern about possibly choosing suboptimal evidence: if the validation team cannot determine the request from the information provided, and especially if additional-document attempts are exhausted, the process cannot continue further. If changes to the submitted organization information are needed after creation, a new identity validation request is required.

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References:

• Artifact Signing FAQ
• Quickstart: Set up Artifact Signing
• Renew or delete Artifact Signing Identity Validations