TIP #1: If you don’t have an urgent need (like an impending closing date), or a potentially deal-breaking question or concern please give VA a few business days to process your COE request, before checking on status.
Currently, the majority of our incoming calls relate to Certificate of Eligibility (COE) processing – particularly requests for status updates. While VA’s COE staff is here to help answer your questions about COEs, it is important to note that the staff is currently processingCOE requests in about 4 business days, on average. Despite system enhancements that allow us to provide you instant COEs in over two-thirds of cases, record-setting loan volume means that our COE staff is working as hard as ever to process the remainder as quickly as possible.
TIP #2: Please be sure the “T’s” are crossed and the “I’s” are dotted prior to submission of a COE request. Providing a complete and accurate submission increases the probability that VA can process your request instantaneously.
We sometimes find that COE requests are missing critical pieces of information or that the submitter has forgotten to provide a required form (such as a National Guard member’s NGB-22 or a Reservist’s Points Statement). It may also be helpful to proof the forms you’re uploading to ensure they’re legible and complete. We find that oftentimes, submissions cannot be processed immediately online, only because a key data field or required piece of evidence is illegible, or missing.
Some commonly required (but often omitted) forms are:
- For Veteran borrowers, the DD214 copy that includes the Character of Service
- For Reservist borrowers, the Point Statements document, which proves 6 Creditable Years and Character of Service
- For National Guard borrowers, the Form NGB 22
- For Active-Duty Servicemember borrowers, the Statement of Service from a commanding officer
TIP #3: Please help us help you with your ‘special requests’ regarding COEs.
If your borrower has a special circumstance that requires you to submit a request for more than just a standard COE issuance, it is helpful to provide details about that special circumstance in the “Notes” field of the COE submission page. Our staff can process your full request in an accurate and timely fashion if all the details are easily discernable.
For example, if your borrower is submitting evidence of a name change along with her request for a COE, and you note both requests in the submission, our staff can easily and quickly discern that two actions are required of them and quickly process your request. If that same submission did not note the requested name change, staff may attempt to process only the COE request and initially reject it, due to non-matching information in our system. The “Notes” field can be found in the left-side vertical toolbar on the submission page.
TIP #4: Please be sure your COE request makes it to the Internet in complete form.
You may be used to other online web forms that allow you to hit “Enter” on your keyboard to navigate through sections of the form or complete a transaction. However, our online COE tool is a bit different. Hitting “Enter” to navigate through the page can result in your incomplete form being submitted to VA. If you hit “Enter” multiple times, we can get multiple incomplete requests for the same COE. Please also note that after you complete the form/process, you should click the “Submit” button in order for the request to be transmitted to our processing system. The “Submit” button can be found at the bottom center of the COE submission page.
TIP #5: If you’re stuck or have a general question, you may find the answers you need in our web tutorials and guides.
Helpful information can be found at:
- The Lender’s Tutorial “How to Order a Certificate of Eligibility on the VA Portal” [click here]
- Information on how to correct your COE submission [click here]
TIP #6: If you have issues with the web form or are experiencing other technological issues, the BEST way to report a problem or get help with a problem, is to email the system Help Desk atVIP.VBACO@va.gov rather than call the COE toll-free line.
Joel Lobb (NMLS#57916)
Senior Loan Officer
American Mortgage Solutions, Inc.
10602 Timberwood Circle Suite 3
Louisville, KY 40223
Company ID #1364 | MB73346
Text/call 502-905-3708
kentuckyloan@gmail.com
The view and opinions stated on this website belong solely to the authors, and are intended for informational purposes only. The posted information does not guarantee approval, nor does it comprise full underwriting guidelines. This does not represent being part of a government agency. The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the view of my employer. Not all products or services mentioned on this site may fit all people.
, NMLS ID# 57916, (
www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). I lend in the following states: Kentucky
KENTUCKY VA MORTGAGE LENDER 
You must be logged in to post a comment.