FAFSA SSA verification delay - should I be worried about address change?

I had this exact same thing happen last month!!! Dont worry the address has nothing to do with it. They only check your name DOB and social to match whats in their system. Mine took exactly 2 business days then I got an email saying I was verified.

The verification process through SSA is completely normal and happens to every FAFSA applicant. The 1-3 business day timeframe is standard, and in most cases, it's completed without any issues. Your address change shouldn't affect this process since they're primarily matching your SSN, name, and DOB with their records. However, if you're concerned about the address discrepancy for other aspects of your financial aid, you should update your address with Social Security Administration as soon as possible. This can be done online through their my Social Security portal or by visiting a local SSA office.

when i did mine this year it took 4 days not 3 so dont panic if it goes longer. the whole fafsa system is slower this year with all the changes

Just to add some clarity to this situation - the SSA verification step is actually one of the more reliable parts of the FAFSA process. While 1-3 business days is the standard timeframe, about 80% of verifications are completed within 48 hours. Your address change won't cause problems with this particular step. However, you should be aware that the 2025-2026 FAFSA has experienced significant processing delays overall, with many students waiting 4+ weeks for their final SAI calculation after completing the application. So even after your SSA verification completes, there may be additional waiting periods before your information is fully processed and sent to your selected schools. If you're approaching a priority deadline, I recommend reaching out directly to your school's financial aid office to notify them that you've submitted your FAFSA and are awaiting processing. Many institutions are being flexible with deadlines this year due to the widespread FAFSA delays.

This verification thing is just another way they make the process complicated on purpose!! Last year I waited SIX days for verification when they said 1-3 business days. The whole system is designed to discourage people from getting aid. And when you try calling studentaid.gov for help? GOOD LUCK getting through!

My daughter went through this last month. SSA verification took 2 days but then we had another problem where her contributor information wouldn't process right. Make sure your parents (if they're contributors) create their own FSA IDs and get verified too. That caused us an extra 2 weeks of delays.

random question but does anyone know if changing your address affects your pell grant eligibility? i heard different states give different amounts

dont worry bout the address thing my brother had this happen + it went thru fine

Update: For anyone finding this thread in the future, the Federal Student Aid office recently published guidance stating that SSA verification wait times may occasionally extend to 5 business days during peak application periods (typically November-February and April-June). If verification takes longer than 5 business days, they recommend contacting the FSA Information Center for assistance. The current academic year (2025-2026) has seen higher than normal application volumes, which may affect processing times.

That's awesome news! Congrats on getting through the verification step so quickly. For other students reading this thread, Khalil's experience shows that the SSA verification really does work within the promised timeframe most of the time. The 2-day turnaround seems to be pretty typical based on what everyone's shared here. Now you can focus on waiting for the rest of your FAFSA processing - fingers crossed it goes smoothly from here!