FAFSA application stuck 'missing signatures' even after we signed - anyone else?

This is a known technical issue with the new FAFSA system. The signature recognition system sometimes fails to register properly even when you've completed all the steps correctly. I had the same problem with my son's application last month. What worked for us was completely logging out of both accounts, clearing browser cookies/cache, and then having BOTH of you sign in fresh and sign again within 30 minutes of each other. Make sure you're using the desktop site, not mobile.

omg same issue!!! been stuck for 9 days with the stupid signature thing. so frustrating bc my dad and i both signed like 5 times already. financial aid office at my school said they're seeing this with tons of students

I work in a college financial aid office, and we're seeing this issue daily. The FAFSA signature systems are experiencing major bugs with the new streamlined form. Unfortunately, the system shows signatures as complete on your end but isn't properly recording them in the central database. A few additional troubleshooting steps beyond what's been suggested: 1. Use Chrome or Edge browsers specifically (Firefox seems to have the most issues) 2. Both signers should use different devices if possible 3. After signing, wait on the confirmation page for at least 60 seconds before closing 4. Take screenshots of the signature confirmation pages as evidence If none of these work, you may need to contact FSA directly, though their phone lines are extremely backed up right now.

Just adding to the chorus - this happened with BOTH of my kids' applications. What makes it extra fun is that for one kid it eventually fixed itself after about 10 days, but for the other I had to call FSA. Took me 4 days of trying to get through to someone. When I finally did, they manually verified our signatures and pushed the application through to processing within 24 hours.

I found a trick that worked for us! After trying everything else, what fixed it was having my daughter (the student) sign FIRST, then waiting exactly 24 hours before I signed as the parent. Something about the timing made the system finally recognize both signatures. Might be worth trying if nothing else works!

I ended up using Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent after dealing with this exact same signature issue for almost two weeks. Instead of waiting on hold forever, they held my place in line and called me back when an agent was available. The agent was able to see that our signatures were actually there in the system but not being properly registered due to a database sync issue. They manually updated our status and our application was processed within 48 hours. Saved me so much stress! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Quick update for everyone dealing with this issue - FSA just released a bulletin to financial aid offices acknowledging the signature bug. They're implementing a fix this weekend during scheduled maintenance. If you can wait a few days, it might resolve automatically. For those with urgent deadlines, calling remains the most effective option, though prepare for long wait times.

GUYS I FINALLY GOT THROUGH!!!! Tried the Chrome browser thing and the 24 hour trick and nothing worked. Finally called FSA and the lady said our problem was that we needed to go all the way through to the SUBMISSION page not just the signature page!! Like even after signing you have to click through like 2 more screens to officially submit!!! 🤦‍♀️ Feel so dumb now but maybe this helps someone else!!

UPDATE: We got it fixed!!! Turns out we HAD been missing that final submission page all along. After both signatures were in, there was one more button to click that we didn't realize was necessary. Just received confirmation that our FAFSA is now processing. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone else with this issue, make sure you go ALL the way through to the final confirmation page after signing!

Just wanted to add my experience to help others! I'm a parent who just went through this exact same nightmare with my twin daughters' FAFSAs. We were stuck in signature limbo for almost 3 weeks. What finally worked for us was a combination of several suggestions from this thread: used Chrome browser, cleared all cookies, had each daughter sign first on separate days, then I signed 24 hours after the second one. But the KEY thing was making sure we clicked all the way through to get that final confirmation number - not just stopping at the signature confirmation page. It's such a confusing process and the interface doesn't make it clear that you need to keep going after signatures are complete. Really hoping FSA fixes these issues soon because the stress of missing deadlines while dealing with technical glitches is just awful for families already stressed about college costs!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who literally just resolved this exact same issue yesterday! I'm a parent helping my son with his FAFSA and we were stuck in the "missing signatures" loop for over a week. After reading through all these helpful comments, I tried the combination approach: used Chrome browser, cleared cookies completely, had my son sign first, waited 24 hours, then I signed. But the absolute game-changer was realizing we needed to continue clicking through ALL the pages after the signatures - there were actually 3 more screens after the signature confirmation page before we got to the actual final submission with the confirmation number! The FAFSA interface is so misleading because it makes you think you're done after signatures, but you're not. Once we got that final confirmation number and email, our application moved to "processing" status within hours. For anyone still struggling - don't stop at the green checkmarks for signatures, keep clicking "Next" until you see an actual confirmation number on your screen!

As a newcomer to this community and the FAFSA process, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions here! I'm starting my son's 2025-2026 FAFSA application next week and was already feeling overwhelmed, but reading through all these detailed troubleshooting steps has given me a roadmap for avoiding this signature issue entirely. The key takeaways I'm noting down: use Chrome browser, clear cookies first, complete ALL screens until I get an actual confirmation number (not just stop at signature confirmations), and if we do get stuck, try the 24-hour signing method or contact FSA directly. It's so reassuring to see a community where parents and students actually help each other navigate these technical nightmares. Hopefully FSA gets their act together soon, but in the meantime, this thread is going to save so many families from weeks of stress!