FAFSA shows missing for one sibling but not the other - parent signature issue

This happened in our family too! For us, the issue was that my mom had two FSA ID accounts without realizing it. When she got a new phone number last year, she created a new FSA ID instead of updating her old one. The FAFSA invitation for my brother went to one account, and mine went to the other. Check if your parent might have multiple FSA IDs tied to different email addresses or phone numbers.

did u check that all the personal info matches EXACTLY on both applications? my bro had this issue and it was bc i put my mom's middle initial on mine but he wrote out her full middle name on his. the system treated them like different people even tho it was same SSN

This is actually a known issue with the 2024-25 FAFSA. When siblings apply and request contributions from the same parent, there's a bug where sometimes only one application appears in the parent's dashboard. The correct solution is to: 1. Have your parent log out completely from studentaid.gov 2. Clear browser cache and cookies 3. Log back in using a different browser if possible 4. If that doesn't work, the parent needs to call FSA directly at 1-800-433-3243 This particular bug can't be fixed through the online system and requires agent intervention. Ask for a "FAFSA sibling visibility correction.

I had this EXACT issue last semester with my twin sister's FAFSA! We tried EVERYTHING and wasted weeks going back and forth. Ended up being that the system flagged it as potential fraud because we have same address and birthday even though we have different SSNs. Had to call FSA like 6 times because they kept disconnecting me. Finally got someone who fixed it but I almost missed my school's priority deadline. So frustrating!!!

When my mom had this issue last year with me and my sister, it was because she was using the mobile app for one FAFSA and the website for the other. Try having your parent check both places! Also make sure the emails match exactly on both applications.

If you need to reach Federal Student Aid quickly about this issue, I'd recommend using Claimyr. After spending days trying to get through on the regular FSA line, I used their service at claimyr.com and got connected to an agent in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent was able to manually link the missing FAFSA to my parent's account and fix the visibility issue right away.

THE NEW FAFSA IS A COMPLETE DISASTER!!!! This is happening to SO MANY families! My daughter and nephew both applied, and my sister could see her son's FAFSA but not my daughter's. We had to submit a case through the FSA feedback center and it took TWENTY-SEVEN DAYS to resolve!!! This is completely unacceptable when tuition deposits are due soon and kids need to compare financial aid packages!! The whole system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt!!!

have u tried unlinking and relinking the student and parent? that worked for my cousins. also make sure the parent is using the exact same FSA ID for both kids' forms.

Just a quick update for anyone following this thread. This specific issue (sibling FAFSA visibility) has been formally acknowledged by FSA as Bug #2024-113. They're working on a system-wide fix, but in the meantime, the fastest solution is having the parent call the FSA help center. According to their latest update, the average resolution time once you reach an agent is about 15 minutes - they can force-refresh the parent's dashboard to show all pending FAFSAs.

UPDATE: We figured it out! Turns out my mom had accidentally created TWO FSA IDs like someone suggested. We found both accounts, and sure enough, my brother's FAFSA was linked to one and mine to the other. We called FSA (took forever to get through but we finally did), and they helped merge the accounts. My FAFSA is now visible in her dashboard and she was able to complete her signature! Thanks everyone for your help - especially the suggestion to check for multiple FSA IDs!

That's such great news! I'm so glad you got it resolved. The multiple FSA ID issue seems to be way more common than it should be - I wonder if FSA could add some kind of warning when someone tries to create a new account with info that matches an existing one. Thanks for updating the thread too, this will definitely help other families who run into the same problem. Hope you get your SAI score soon and can finalize your financial aid package!