WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs has deployed CLEAR identity verification technology at six medical centers to accelerate online account registration, testing a system designed to reduce barriers to accessing healthcare, disability benefits, and other federal services.
The pilot program allows veterans to establish VA.gov accounts in minutes using biometric verification kiosks operated with assistance from VA personnel. The department will evaluate the results before deciding whether to expand the system to additional facilities.
The technology is available at VA medical centers in Atlanta; Brooklyn, New York; Orlando, Florida; Palo Alto, California; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C.
VA partnered with CLEAR, a technology and security company whose identity verification systems are used at airports and other secure facilities.
The initiative targets veterans who encounter difficulties registering for online services because of mobility limitations, unreliable internet connections, or other obstacles to completing the process independently.
Participants must bring a valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification document, such as a driver’s license, state identification card, or passport, along with a telephone number and personal email address.
VA personnel assist with entering registration information, while the CLEAR kiosk captures a photograph to complete identity verification and account setup.
Veterans can also configure facial recognition or other authentication methods to access their accounts remotely after registration.
The department said the process can reduce account setup time to minutes and enable subsequent sign-ins within seconds.
VA.gov provides access to services including medical appointment scheduling, prescription refills, secure communications with healthcare providers, and after-visit summaries.
Veterans can also use the portal to apply for disability compensation, request healthcare-related travel reimbursements and monitor the status of benefits applications, including burial and memorial benefits.
The platform supports appointment scheduling for both VA facilities and community healthcare providers.
“Veterans want better customer service and convenience,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said, describing the pilot as part of the department’s effort to simplify access to benefits and healthcare.
Participation in the CLEAR program is free and voluntary. Veterans may continue using existing VA.gov registration and authentication methods without affecting their eligibility for benefits or services.
According to VA, veterans’ personal health information remains within department systems and is not accessible to CLEAR.
The department also stated that CLEAR does not sell biometric or sensitive personal information.
The pilot comes as VA reports increased demand for healthcare services.
The department said it enrolled more than 290,000 new veterans in VA healthcare during 2026 and opened 43 healthcare facilities since January 20, 2025.
VA reported completing approximately 82.1 million direct-care appointments during fiscal year 2025, a 4.1% increase from the previous year.
Community-care appointments reached nearly 60 million, up 12% over the same period.
The department also reported offering more than 3.2 million appointments outside normal operating hours since January 2025.
The CLEAR deployment represents a separate effort to improve digital access to those services, with any broader implementation dependent on the six-location pilot’s results.
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