FAFSA trouble: Creating FSA ID for parents without SSN - stuck on address page

I work with many families in similar situations. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, parents without SSNs should be able to create an FSA ID, but there are specific steps to follow. When you reach the address page, make sure you're using the exact address format from any official US documents your parent may have. Also, be certain that the parent selected "No SSN" on the previous page rather than leaving the field blank or entering zeros. If that doesn't work, there's an alternative path: your parent can complete a paper signature page instead of creating an FSA ID. You can still submit the FAFSA online, but you'll print the signature page at the end, have your parent sign it, and mail it in. This takes longer to process but is a reliable alternative.

my cousin had same problem last yr. he said put N/A for ssn not blank or zeros. and they gotta use EXACTLY same name spelling as on their ID/documents. no nicknames or anything

The FAFSA system SUCKS for non-citizen parents!! I went through this nightmare last year and almost missed out on $9500 in grants because of it! Their system is NOT designed for immigrant families even though they claim it is. After trying for WEEKS we finally got a financial aid officer at my college to help us bypass the FSA ID issue. Ask your financial aid office if they can help with a special circumstance form!!

I had the EXACT same issue trying to help a student's parents last month. After trying everything with no success, I discovered that Claimyr (claimyr.com) could get us connected to an actual FSA agent who walked us through the process. They have a service that gets you past the hold times - saved us hours of frustration. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent explained that there's a specific sequence for address entry when the parent has no SSN, and they can override certain verification steps on their end. Took about 15 minutes to solve once we actually reached someone who knew what they were doing.

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, there are specific technical requirements for non-SSN parent FSA ID creation: 1. Use a desktop computer, not the mobile app 2. Ensure JavaScript is enabled in your browser 3. Clear your browser cache completely before starting 4. When entering the address, do NOT use any special characters (no #, -, or .) 5. The address must match exactly what's in the government database 6. If using auto-fill, double-check that it hasn't added extra spaces If you still encounter issues after trying these steps, your parent can use the signature page option. While this adds 3-5 business days to processing time, it's a reliable alternative.

have u tried using ur school address instead? my roommate did this for his dad who doesnt have ssn and it worked for some reason

Try calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 again! I was helping my friend's parents (also without SSNs) and we got disconnected THREE TIMES before finally getting through on the fourth try. The person who helped us had to do something on their end to override the address verification issue. It's frustrating but keep trying!

Just checking in - were you able to solve this using any of the suggestions? I'm curious which approach worked as I'm helping another family with the same issue this week.

So glad to hear you got it working! Your success story is really valuable for others facing the same issue. The browser choice detail is particularly interesting - I've noticed Edge sometimes handles government forms better than Chrome or Firefox. For future reference, it might be worth adding that some families have also had success using Internet Explorer (if still available) or the browser's "compatibility mode" for older government systems. Thanks for following up with the solution - this will definitely help other students and families who find this thread!