I'm new to this community and just went through this exact same terrifying experience yesterday! Reading through this entire thread has been such a huge relief - I was absolutely convinced I had somehow broken the FAFSA when it only asked about EIC and went straight to signature. Like everyone else, I had all my tax documents perfectly organized and ready to input, only to have the system seemingly ignore everything. The complete lack of explanation from the Department of Education about when this streamlined processing kicks in is really frustrating. It's clear from all these similar experiences that this isn't a glitch - it's just very poorly communicated. Katherine, thank you so much for posting your successful update! Seeing that your SAI came through correctly gives me confidence that mine will too. This thread should honestly be pinned somewhere because it seems like this confusion is happening to a lot of families with lower AGI who claimed EIC.

I'm brand new to this community and just went through this exact same experience last night! I was absolutely terrified when the FAFSA only asked about EIC and then jumped straight to the signature page. Like so many others here, I had spent days organizing all my tax documents, bank statements, and investment records, only to have the system ask virtually nothing. I kept refreshing the page thinking I had missed something or that there was a technical error. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly reassuring - it's amazing how many parents have had this identical panic! The complete lack of explanation from the Department of Education when streamlined processing kicks in is really problematic. Even a simple message like "Based on your EIC status and income level, we're using simplified processing" would save so many families from this stress. Katherine, thank you so much for sharing your successful outcome! Seeing that your SAI processed correctly despite the confusing experience gives me confidence that my son's application will work out too. This thread honestly needs to be highlighted somewhere because it's clear this is happening to a lot of families in similar income situations. I'll be checking for our SAI in the next few days, but I feel so much better knowing this is actually how the system is supposed to work, even though it feels completely wrong in the moment!

As someone who just went through this exact same situation this year, I can definitely relate to your confusion! My husband and I also file separately and live in different states due to work, and I was completely overwhelmed when I first started the FAFSA process. Everyone here has given you great advice - you absolutely do need both tax returns even though you file separately. The FAFSA considers your marital status, not your filing status or living arrangements. I know it seems frustrating, especially when your finances are essentially separate, but that's just how the system works. Here's what I wish someone had told me from the start: before you even log into the FAFSA website, spend a day gathering EVERYTHING from both you and your husband. Tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, any investment accounts, records of untaxed income - the whole nine yards. Put it all in one folder (physical or digital) so you're not scrambling to find documents halfway through the application. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool that others mentioned is absolutely worth using if you both filed electronically. It pulls your tax information directly and reduces the chance of errors that could trigger verification later. Don't let the complexity discourage you from applying! Yes, including his income might affect your aid eligibility, but you'll still qualify for federal loans and potentially other aid. And remember, you can always appeal to your school's financial aid office later if your circumstances are truly unusual. You've got this!

As someone who just completed the FAFSA process with a similar situation (married filing separately, living apart for work), I wanted to share what worked for me! The advice everyone has given is spot on - you definitely need both tax returns regardless of filing status since you're legally married. One thing that made the process smoother for me was setting up a video call with my spouse while filling out the FAFSA. Since we were in different states, it helped to have them on hand to answer questions about their tax information in real time rather than going back and forth via text or email. Also, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet with both of your key financial numbers (AGI, taxes paid, income from work, etc.) before you start. The FAFSA will ask for specific line items from your tax returns, and having everything organized in one place made the data entry much faster and less error-prone. Don't stress too much about the impact on your aid eligibility - while yes, combined income might affect your package, many schools understand that married couples sometimes maintain separate finances. If your aid offer doesn't reflect your actual financial circumstances, definitely pursue that Professional Judgment review others mentioned. You're asking all the right questions and gathering good information here. That preparation will serve you well when you sit down to actually complete the application!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and just wanted to say thank you for this incredibly detailed and helpful thread. I'm actually in a very similar situation - I have my SSN and work authorization while my I-485 (adjustment of status) is pending, and I was completely lost about FAFSA eligibility until I found this discussion. What really stands out to me is how this conversation has evolved into such a comprehensive resource. The advice ranges from the technical eligibility requirements to creative alternatives I never would have thought of - like the CSS Profile for institutional aid, state-specific programs, and even the tip about community colleges as a bridge option. I especially appreciate everyone emphasizing the importance of complete honesty about immigration status. As someone new to navigating both the immigration system and financial aid, it's reassuring to see experienced community members stress ethical approaches while still providing practical solutions. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I recently discovered that some universities have specific "pre-professional" or "pathway" programs designed for students whose immigration status is in transition. These programs sometimes have their own funding mechanisms separate from traditional financial aid. It might be worth asking admissions offices if they have anything like this. Thanks again to Emily for starting this conversation and to everyone who has shared their experiences. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes all the difference when you're trying to figure out these complex systems!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and this thread has been absolutely incredible to read through. I'm actually in a very similar situation to Emily - I've been waiting 9 months for my green card while having an SSN through work authorization, and I was feeling really overwhelmed about college funding options. What strikes me most about this discussion is how it's become such a comprehensive roadmap for students in immigration transition. The evolution from the initial FAFSA eligibility question to exploring CSS Profile, institutional aid, state programs, scholarship strategies, and even pathway programs has been amazing to follow. I wanted to add one resource that helped me recently: Many universities have dedicated "international and immigrant student success" offices (separate from general international student services) that specifically help students navigating status changes. They often maintain databases of scholarships and funding opportunities that don't require permanent residency, and they understand the timeline challenges we face. Also, I've found that reaching out to alumni networks from your target schools can be surprisingly helpful. Many universities have alumni groups focused on supporting first-generation college students or those from immigrant families, and they sometimes have mentorship programs or small scholarship funds that aren't widely advertised. The advice about documentation and being proactive with FSA ID setup has been game-changing for my planning. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative space - this community is truly invaluable for navigating these complex intersections of immigration and education funding!

Just wanted to add another data point - we experienced this exact same issue with my daughter's FAFSA application last month. After reading through all the helpful advice here, we tried the skip-phone-number method and it worked perfectly! The account was created immediately and she was able to complete her entire application that same day. One thing I'd add for future families dealing with this: we found that after creating the account without a phone number, it's actually better to wait at least 48-72 hours before trying to add the phone number back to the account. When we tried to add it the next day, we got the same error again, but when we waited 3 days, it worked without any issues. It seems like their system needs time to fully process the new account before it can properly validate phone numbers. Hope this helps anyone else dealing with this frustrating bug!

Wow, I'm so relieved to find this thread! I'm currently dealing with this exact same phone number error for my daughter's first-time FAFSA application. We've been stuck for 4 days now and I was starting to think we were doing something wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has been incredibly helpful - especially knowing that the skip-phone-number method has worked for so many people here. We're definitely going to try that approach tonight during off-peak hours. It's crazy that a federal system this important has such widespread technical issues, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Thank you all for taking the time to help other families navigate this mess!

UPDATE: Success! We followed the advice from this thread and had my daughter sign first, then I signed immediately after (same session). We got the confirmation screen with the checkmarks for both signatures! The estimated SAI appeared right away too - though it's much higher than I expected which is concerning. I guess that's a question for another thread... Thank you all for your help! This community has been more useful than any official guidance we've found.

Congratulations on getting through the signature process! 🎉 It's such a relief when it finally works after all that stress. For the higher SAI issue you mentioned - definitely worth starting a new thread about that. The SAI calculation changed significantly from the old EFC formula, so many families are seeing unexpected increases even with the same financial situation. There are some income protection allowances and other factors that shifted in ways that aren't always intuitive. Thanks for updating us with your success! It's really helpful for other families dealing with the same signature nightmare to know what actually worked.