FAFSA verification stuck in limbo after submitting PDF documents - no response

same boat, resubmitted docs 3 wks ago. Still nothing. They're super backed up this year!

This is completely normal for the FAFSA verification process, especially with the new system this year. After submitting verification documents in PDF format, the wait time is typically 2-3 weeks minimum, but many students are experiencing 4-6 week delays right now. Make sure you've done these three things: 1) Check that ALL documents are properly signed (both student and parent signatures where required), 2) Verify the PDFs are under the 10MB size limit, and 3) Confirm all document pages are correctly oriented and legible. You mentioned your school's aid packaging deadline - I recommend contacting your financial aid office directly and informing them about your pending verification. Most schools have a process for working with students caught in FAFSA verification delays. They might be able to offer you a conditional aid package while you wait for final verification.

OMG THE VERIFICATION PROCESS IS THE WORST!!!! I literally had to submit mine THREE TIMES before they finally approved it. They kept saying my parents tax info didn't match even though we triple checked everything! Then they randomly approved it with no explanation. The whole fafsa system is such a joke this year. 🤬

I had the exact same issue two weeks ago, and honestly, the only way I finally got it resolved was using Claimyr to get through to an actual FSA agent. I was on hold for HOURS trying the regular number with no luck. With Claimyr (claimyr.com), I got through to someone in about 15 minutes who could actually see what was wrong with my verification documents. Turns out one of my PDFs was corrupted even though it looked fine on my end. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ After fixing that one document, my verification was processed in 3 days. Might be worth trying if you're up against that school deadline.

Can I ask what type of verification they're asking for? There's different verification groups (V1, V4, V5, etc) and some take waaaaay longer than others. If you got stuck with V5 verification that's usually the most thorough one and takes longest. The key thing is making sure all your income info matches EXACTLY with what the IRS has on file.

I work part-time in our university's financial aid office, and I can share a few insights about the verification process this year: 1. The FAFSA system has been experiencing significant backlogs due to the redesign and launch of the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation 2. When resubmitting documents as PDFs, make sure they're flattened PDFs (saved, not just scanned) and that you're using the exact form codes they requested 3. Contact your school's financial aid office ASAP - most institutions have a verification status override process for students caught in the FSA verification backlog 4. If you need to speak with FSA directly, call early in the morning (8-9am ET) or try the chat function on studentaid.gov which sometimes has shorter wait times 5. Make sure your SAR (Student Aid Report) doesn't have any flags other than verification that might be holding things up Hope this helps! Verification is definitely frustrating, but it will get resolved eventually.

my roommate went thru this last month and they told him his verification was lost in the system or something?? had to start over completely. might want to call and check if urs is even in the system still tbh

I want to add one important thing - if your school's financial aid deadline is approaching, you should request an exception or extension due to the FAFSA verification delay. Almost every school has a process for this situation because verification delays are so common. Send an email to your financial aid office with: 1. Your name and student ID 2. The date you submitted your FAFSA 3. The date you were selected for verification 4. The date you submitted/resubmitted verification documents 5. Screenshots showing your current status Most schools will place a temporary hold on your account to prevent you from losing aid eligibility while waiting for verification to complete. Don't wait until after the deadline to do this!

UPDATE: I managed to get through to FSA this morning after trying that Claimyr service someone suggested. The agent confirmed my PDFs were received but said one of them was showing as "unreadable" in their system. Apparently the phone scanning app I used created a format their system couldn't process correctly. I've resubmitted using proper computer-generated PDFs like someone here suggested, and they said it should be processed within 7-10 business days. Also reached out to my school's financial aid office and they're giving me a verification extension. Thank you all for your help!