FAFSA stuck at SSI verification step - can't proceed with husband's account

This happened to me too! The 'SSI verification' is actually the system cross-checking with the Social Security Administration to verify your husband's identity. It's a security measure but super frustrating when it gets stuck. Have you tried logging out completely, clearing browser cache, and trying again after a few hours? Sometimes it's just a temporary system glitch.

Thanks for explaining what SSI means! I had no idea it was cross-checking with Social Security. We'll try clearing the cache and waiting. How long did yours take to resolve?

omg the FAFSA system is such garbage this year!! i had the same thing happen with my dad's account and we just kept trying every day for like a week until suddenly it worked. no explanation, nothing changed. just magically started working one day. good luck lol

A WEEK?! You've got to be kidding me. I don't understand why they made everything so much more complicated this year.

What you're experiencing is the new identity verification process implemented with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The system is checking your husband's information against Social Security Administration records to prevent identity theft. Here are a few things to try:\n\n1. Double-check that all information was entered EXACTLY as it appears on his Social Security card (name spelling, hyphens, etc.)\n2. Try using a different browser or device\n3. If your husband has a credit freeze, he may need to temporarily lift it\n4. Wait 24-48 hours as sometimes the verification processes in the background\n\nIf none of these work, you'll need to contact Federal Student Aid directly for manual verification.

Thank you for such a detailed response! I didn't even think about the credit freeze - he actually does have one. We'll try lifting it temporarily and see if that helps.

Same issue here!! Been stuck on this for 3 days now smh. The whole new FAFSA rollout is a disaster. My son might miss scholarship deadlines because of this garbage.

3 days?! That's ridiculous. I'm worried about deadlines too. Why didn't they test this system better before launching it?

After struggling with the same SSI verification issue for my spouse, I finally managed to get through to an actual person at Federal Student Aid who helped resolve it. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get past the phone queue - they have this service that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent explained that sometimes the name formatting or birthdate format causes the verification to fail, and they were able to manually verify my husband's identity. Worth trying if you're still stuck after a few days.

I've never heard of Claimyr before but at this point I'm desperate enough to try anything! Thanks for the tip - I'll check out the video. Did they explain how long the manual verification takes once you talk to someone?

Once I actually talked to someone, they fixed it on the spot! The agent manually verified his identity and we were able to continue with the application immediately. The whole call took maybe 15 minutes once I got through.

I just wanted to add some info about the SSI verification issue. It's actually becoming extremely common with the new FAFSA. The system is supposed to verify identity through the Social Security Administration's database, but their systems aren't communicating properly. A few things to note:\n\n- The verification can take anywhere from minutes to several days\n- Make sure EVERY character (including middle initials, suffixes like Jr/Sr) matches the Social Security card exactly\n- If your husband has changed his name at any point (marriage, divorce, legal name change), this often causes issues\n- Some people report success by trying at odd hours (like 2am) when the system has less traffic\n\nIf you still can't get through after 72 hours, definitely call FSA directly. They can place a manual override on the verification process.

This is really helpful, thank you! His name does have a suffix (Jr.) so maybe that's causing problems. I'll try entering it differently and see if that helps. And if all else fails, I'll call using that Claimyr service the other person mentioned.

its rediculous how they say they made fafsa 'easier' but actually made it 10x harder! my brothers been stuck on verification for like 3 weeks now!!!

3 WEEKS?! That's insane! I can't believe how badly they've botched this rollout.

Just a follow-up: If you confirmed your husband has a credit freeze, that's almost certainly the issue. The SSI verification process includes a soft credit check, and a freeze prevents this. Contact all three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to temporarily lift the freeze, then try again. Usually takes about 24 hours for the lift to take effect in the system.

We just lifted the freeze with all three bureaus! Fingers crossed this works. Thank you so much for following up - I'll update here if it solves the problem.

UPDATE: IT WORKED!!! We lifted the credit freeze yesterday afternoon and tried again this morning - went straight through! My husband was able to complete his contributor profile and we're finally moving forward with the application. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help, especially the tip about the credit freeze being the likely culprit.