UPDATE: My wife checked her spam folder and found the email! It came through about 7 hours after submission but went straight to spam. She's completed her signature now and our application shows 'Processing' instead of 'Waiting for Signatures'. Thanks everyone for your help!

Congratulations on getting it resolved! For future reference and anyone else reading this thread, here are the key takeaways: 1) Always check spam/junk folders first - FAFSA emails commonly end up there, 2) Both married parents need FSA IDs and signatures when filing jointly, 3) Email delays of 6-24 hours are normal during peak submission periods, 4) Double-check email addresses for typos, and 5) If the email doesn't arrive within 48 hours, contact Federal Student Aid directly. The spouse signature requirement catches many families off guard, but it's been a longstanding requirement. Good luck with your daughter's financial aid process!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! My son submitted his FAFSA 25 days ago and we're still stuck on SSN verification. I've been checking daily and it just says "pending" with no updates. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like we just have to wait it out unfortunately. I'm going to try calling FSA tomorrow using the specific language that Ava suggested about "SSN verification stuck in pending status preventing contributor invitations" - hopefully that helps get through to someone who can actually do something. This whole process is so stressful when college deadlines are looming!

I'm a new parent going through this nightmare too! My daughter submitted her FAFSA 19 days ago and we're stuck in the same SSN verification limbo. Reading through all these comments is both reassuring (we're not alone) and terrifying (some people have waited a month!). I had no idea the SSN verification had to complete before I could be added as a contributor - the error messages are so misleading! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips. I'm going to check if we have any credit freezes like Noah suggested, and if we're still stuck next week I'll try that Claimyr service. It's ridiculous that we have to use workarounds to access a government system that's supposed to help our kids get financial aid. Fingers crossed all of our verifications come through soon!

UPDATE: My SAI finally appeared! It took exactly 72 hours from when I first noticed the blank calculation. For anyone else experiencing this, here's what worked for me: 1. I waited the 3 days as suggested 2. I emailed my college's financial aid office with screenshots showing the issue and my confirmation number 3. I did NOT submit any corrections or new information The financial aid office was super understanding and told me they're seeing this issue with many applicants. They put a note on my account so I won't miss the priority deadline. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Thanks for sharing this thread - it's so helpful to see the resolution! I'm currently dealing with the same blank SAI issue (day 2 for me) and was starting to panic about my upcoming deadlines. Reading that it resolved itself in 72 hours for you and that most financial aid offices are understanding about this gives me so much relief. I'm going to follow the same steps you outlined - wait the full 3 days and reach out to my school's financial aid office proactively with documentation. This community is amazing for first-gen students like us who don't have parents who've been through this process before!

UPDATE: We finally got it working! What ended up working was a combination of suggestions from this thread. We: 1) had my daughter remove me completely as a contributor, 2) cleared her browser cache and cookies, 3) used her phone instead of laptop, 4) added a different email address for me. The invitation came through within minutes! Thanks everyone for your help - this was driving us crazy for days!

So glad you were able to get this resolved! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now with my son's FAFSA - the contributor invitation system has been such a headache this year. It's really helpful that you shared the step-by-step solution that worked for you. I'm going to try the browser clearing and different device approach first since that seems like it might be the key. It's frustrating that we have to become tech troubleshooters just to complete financial aid forms, but at least there are workarounds. Thanks for taking the time to update with your solution!

Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! We're going to set aside an evening this week to create our FSA IDs and get started on this process. Really appreciate all the tips about using separate emails, having 2023 tax info ready, and understanding how the contributor section works. This community has been so helpful for first-timers like us!

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I'll echo what others have said - yes, both parents definitely need separate FSA IDs! One tip I wish someone had told me: create your FSA IDs at least a few days before you plan to actually complete the FAFSA. Sometimes there can be verification delays, and you don't want to be stuck waiting when you're ready to submit. Also, make sure both parents have access to their own email accounts during the process - the system sends confirmation codes and updates to each parent individually. The whole thing is much less scary once you actually start!