INSTRUCTIONS : REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY (VA Form 26-1880)

A VA Form 26-1880 is the Department of Veteran Affairs form for requesting a certificate of eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program. The form needs to be filled out before any loan can be processed through the VA Home Loan Program.

The VA Form 26-1880 is available on the Department of Veteran Affairs website or can be supplied by the Veteran Affairs office near you.

Boxes 1 through 8 require you personal identification information.

1. The veteran's name, date of birth, social security number, and contact information must be provided in order to process your VA Form 26-1880.

2. You must provide information about any disability that may have caused your discharge from the military.

Box 9 requires that you provide your military service history.

3. You must provide all active service and reserve service dates, ranks, and service numbers. If you need additional space, you may provide an attached paper listing all of your service history.

Boxes 10 through 13 require all information for previously VA loans you have applied for or received.

4. If this is the first time applying for a Veterans Affairs loan, you can indicate so in the boxes provided and you may leave the date sections blank.

5. You must list all VA home loans that you have received for purchasing, remodeling, or refinancing your home. If you are unsure of the status of previous loans, contact the local Veterans Affairs office for help.

Finally, you must certify the VA Form 26-1880 with your signature and date.

6. You must send in your VA Form 26-1880 to the provided address on the top of the form.

7. Veterans Affairs will contact you shortly in regards to your loan status. If your application is insufficient, your form will be returned to you with instructions on completing the form.