Getting Started
Essential Requirements to get started with WhatsApp API
In order to get access to WhatsApp API you must meet the following pre-requisites.
Facebook Account
Make sure that you have a Facebook account, this account should be in a person's name / identity, it could be your own account or someone in your family or your colleague. Ensure that you do not create a Facebook account in the name of your band or your company. Such accounts can get blocked by Meta and you will not be able to access any essential Meta service in such cases.
Meta Business Manager Account
You would also need a Meta Business Manager account, in this account you would be able to access your WhatsApp API. If you don't have a Meta Business Manager account then please skip this step as this account would be automatically created during the setup process.
In case you wish to use an existing meta business manager account, ensure that it does not have any restrictions owning to previously created Ad account.
You can check this by going to https://business.facebook.com/settings/ad-accounts. In such cases, we recommend that you use another Facebook ID for setting up your WhatsApp API. You can also request meta support to help you to un-restrict you ad account, it has been seen that the Meta support is extremely slow and can take months to get a resolution. In such cases we highly recommend that you use a differenct facebook account. It is completely ok to have 2 different Meta Business Manager accounts, one which will be used to mange your social media pages and other assets and another one which can be used to manage just WhatsApp API account.
Official Documents for Verification
Meta would eventually need to verify your business and for that purpose it would need some government issued documents like, Business Incorporation Certificate, GST Certificate, VAT or other Tax Registration.
If the registered business name and address mentioned are accurate the you only need one of the above mentioned documents. If your business address is different from the one mentioned in primary document, then you would need additional documents like a bank statement or a utility bill to prove the correctness of your address.
These documents are required by Meta to validate,
1. Official Name of the organisation
2. the registered address.
A Working Website
It is mandatory to have a functional website, this website can not be a parked domain or a work in progress website, it has to be a functional website. The website can be very basic with just one page, and brief information about the products and services. Most importantly, it must mention the registered company name and the exact address as specified on the documents you have shared with Meta for business verification. In case your brand name is different from your Legal name, in that case you may mention in the address section, as shown below:
ACME COLURS (Brand Name)
A Venture of ABC PVT. LTD. (Legal Name)
The complete address (Address)
This information can either be mentioned on the footer section of each page of the website, or this can be added to the contact section of the website.
Phone Number
You would need a phone number that will be linked to your WhatsApp API account. Please ensure that this phone number is not linked to any WhatsApp mobile app. In case it is connected to a WhatsApp app or WhatsApp business app, you will have to go the settings option followed by accounts option, and there you will have to delete your account on WhatsApp. This way this number can be permanently unlinked from WhatsApp mobile app and becomes eligible to be connected with WhatsApp API. Remember you loose all past conversation of your WhatsApp number, alternatively you can use a brand new number. You should be getting an OTP to complete the sign up process, the OTP can be received by SMS or on Call, you will see the relevant option while you complete the setup process.
Payment Method
Once your WhatsApp API account is set up, you would need to link a Credit Card or Debit Card to WhatsApp Business Manager Account, this will enable you to send outgoing messages from your WhatsAPP API number. Ensure that the credit card that you use has enough credit limit, ensure that your credit card is not blocked for international payments. WhatApp debits amount from your credit card once a week, only when it exceed a certain amount, In India the lower limit is ₹10.
In some rare cases, if a payment fails due to lack of funds/ credit limit, WhatsApp is not able to collect the payment manually and the setup needs to be done from scratch. Ensure that sufficient amount is always available in your account or your credit limit is more that your estimated usage, we have seen in the past that if the balance falls short the account might get locked.