FAFSA signature issues - application rejected multiple times despite signing
I'm at my wits' end with this signature problem on my son's FAFSA! We've submitted his 2025-2026 application FOUR times now, and each time it gets rejected with a message saying we didn't sign it. But we absolutely have signed it every single time! My son signs with his FSA ID, I sign with mine, we get the confirmation screen, but then 3-4 days later we get an email saying the application is incomplete due to missing signatures. I've spent hours on hold trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid. When I finally got through yesterday, the agent just told me to "try again" and couldn't explain why the system isn't recognizing our signatures. My son's college priority deadline is in two weeks, and I'm seriously worried his financial aid package will be affected. Has anyone else dealt with this signature glitch? Any suggestions on how to fix it? Could it be a browser issue?
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Zainab Ibrahim
yep having the EXACT same problem with my daughter's app!! submitted 3x and keeps saying no signature. super frustrating
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Miguel Castro
•Have you found any solution yet? I'm considering driving to her college's financial aid office to see if they can help, but it's 2 hours away.
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Connor O'Neill
This is actually a pretty common issue with the new FAFSA system. There are a few things that could be causing it: 1. Browser compatibility - The FAFSA site works best with Chrome or Firefox. If you're using Safari or Edge, try switching. 2. Cache issues - Clear your browser cache completely before trying again. 3. FSA ID lockout - If you've entered your password incorrectly multiple times, your FSA ID might be in a weird limbo state where it appears to work but isn't actually authenticating properly. 4. Timing out - The system has a pretty short timeout window. If you're taking more than 15-20 minutes between starting the signature process and completing it, the session might expire without telling you. The most reliable fix I've found is to: - Clear browser cache completely - Close all browser windows - Open a new Chrome browser - Log in fresh to studentaid.gov - Complete the signature process in one sitting without long pauses Also make sure both you and your son are using YOUR OWN devices to sign. Using the same device has caused signature recognition problems for some families.
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Miguel Castro
•Thank you so much for these detailed suggestions! We have been using the same laptop for both signatures (mine first, then my son's) - I didn't realize that could be part of the problem. We'll try separate devices tonight and follow your other tips about clearing cache and using Chrome instead of Safari.
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LunarEclipse
had this issue too!! what fixed it for us was making sure both me AND my student each had our own phone numbers listed in our FSA ID profiles. For some reason if you share a phone # on the accounts it creates this weird signature validation error. check that!
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Yara Khalil
•YES!! This was our exact problem too! The FSA ID system doesn't explicitly tell you this, but parent and student CANNOT share phone numbers on their FSA ID profiles. Once we updated to different numbers, our signatures went through fine.
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Keisha Brown
the whole FAFSA system is GARBAGE this year!!! ive been trying since october to get my kids app processed. first the SAI calculation was wrong, then this signature crap, then verification hell. the dept of edu should be ASHAMED of this disaster!!!!
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LunarEclipse
•ikr?? absolute nightmare compared to previous years. and they had all that extra time with the delayed rollout too 🙄
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Paolo Esposito
I had a similar issue but it was actually because I have a hyphenated last name. When I created my FSA ID originally, the system truncated my name, but the FAFSA form had my full legal name from my tax return. This created a mismatch the system couldn't resolve but didn't explain clearly. Double-check that both FSA IDs have names EXACTLY matching your tax returns and other legal docs. Even small differences can trigger the signature error without clearly explaining why.
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Miguel Castro
•That's interesting - my last name is hyphenated too! I'll double check how it appears in my FSA ID profile. Thanks for pointing this out.
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Amina Toure
When I ran into this issue with my twins' applications, I wasted almost 3 weeks trying to solve it myself. After dozens of failed attempts to reach someone through the regular FSA hotline, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. The agent was able to see exactly what was causing the signature issue (in my case, there was a data conflict between my tax records and FSA ID info). They fixed it on their end and our applications processed correctly the next day. You can see how the service works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Definitely worth it when you're up against deadlines like we were.
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Miguel Castro
•Thank you for this suggestion! I've been on hold so many times with the regular FSA number that I'm willing to try anything at this point. I'll check out that service tonight.
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Yara Khalil
Financial aid counselor here - I've seen this signature issue with dozens of families this cycle. Beyond the technical tips already mentioned, there's another common cause: the contributor questions. If you listed a non-tax-filing spouse or other contributor on the FAFSA, they ALSO need to create an FSA ID and sign the application, even if they didn't file taxes. The system is very unclear about this requirement. Double-check if you answered yes to having a spouse or other contributor who helps support the household. If yes, they need to sign too, and the error message doesn't clearly explain this.
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Miguel Castro
•This is extremely helpful. My husband and I file taxes jointly but he hasn't been involved in the FAFSA process. I didn't realize he might need to sign too since I'm the one who manages all the college stuff. I'll have him create an FSA ID tonight.
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Yara Khalil
•Exactly - this is a very common misunderstanding. If you file jointly OR if you indicated a spouse/contributor in the household, they need their own FSA ID and must sign. The system won't process the application until all required signatures are there, but the error message just says "missing signatures" without specifying which ones. Good luck!
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Zainab Ibrahim
anyone else notice how the confirmation page is super misleading? it says "congratulations you've completed the fafsa" even if the signatures didn't actually work. so frustrating!
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Keisha Brown
•THIS!!!! it gives you that green checkmark making you think everything is good then BAM rejection email 3 days later. TERRIBLE design!!!!
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Miguel Castro
UPDATE: We fixed it!!! It turned out to be THREE separate issues: 1. My husband needed to sign (I didn't realize this was required since we file jointly and I handle all the college stuff) 2. My son and I were using the same phone number on our FSA ID profiles 3. We were using Safari instead of Chrome We created an FSA ID for my husband, updated my son's phone number to his cell instead of our home number, switched to Chrome, and cleared all browser cache before trying again. Finally got the confirmation email that the application was successfully processed! Our SAI score is now available in the portal. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help! This forum literally saved us weeks of frustration.
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Yara Khalil
•Fantastic news! And thank you for coming back to update - this will help other families who find your post with similar issues. I'm so glad you got it resolved before your deadline.
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