How Long Does It Take To Get Pre Approved For A VA Loan?

Many people assume the VA mortgage process is long and arduous. This is not accurate. Getting a VA loan can be just as quick and easy as getting a conventional loan as long as you are working with an experienced VA lender. An experienced VA lender will properly prepare you so that you do not have any delays.

A VA preapproval can be done same day in many cases. It is all about preparation. Remember, the preapproval is your ticket to home shopping, so it is critical you get one.

In order to get a fast pre-approval, it is a good idea to optimize the loan approval process from your end as much as you can. Gathering the below documents before you speak with a lender can help make the process smoother, faster and more accurate.

VA Loan Eligibility Criteria:

First thing’s first, before getting any VA Loan, you need a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This certificate states that the applicant has indeed served in the US armed forces for at least the minimum amount of time to make them eligible for this certificate.

This certificate would then be brought to a lender for the next phase. This link will take you to the VA portal which lists the current requirements as well as has a link so you can retrieve your certificate of

eligibility online

. The VA administration has made this really easy which is great!

Beyond the certificate of eligibility, I would suggest gathering the following for your first conversation with the lender. Here are the documents that you are going to need with your preapproval application:

A photo ID

DD Form 214 ( if you have your COE we often do not need this but it never hurts to be prepared)

Two most recent years W-2 and federal tax returns

One month’s most recent paychecks

If you have childcare expenses such as daycare, make sure you know those amounts

2 months most recent bank statements

About Jennifer Beeston :

Once you have gathered all the items, now is the time to reach out to a lender. Make sure you read individual lender reviews and do your due diligence. As I cover in many of my VA videos it is critical you shop the mortgage rate as VA loans are where we see the biggest rate differences based on what lender you speak to. It is also critical you work with a lender that understands the VA process. If you would like to get qualified or chat about VA loans feel free to give me a call at 786 933 2077 email me at

beeston@rate.com

. I am licensed in 40 states

NMLS #247743