Who is Eligible?
To obtain a VA home loan, an applicant must obtain a Certificate of EligibilityOpens in new tab.
Active Duty
| Qualifying Event | Active Duty Dates |
|---|---|
| Any | Any |
Veteran
| Qualifying Event | Active Duty Dates | Active Duty Service |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf War | 8/2/1990 – Present | |
| 24-month rule | 9/8/1980 - 8/1/1990* | |
| Post-Vietnam | 5/8/1975 - 9/7/1980** | |
| Vietnam | 8/5/1964 - 5/7/1975*** | |
| Post-Korea | 2/1/1955 - 8/4/1964 | 181 cont. days |
| Korean War | 6/27/1950 - 1/31/1955 | 90 total days |
| Post-WWII | 7/26/1947 - 6/26/1950 | 181 cont. days |
| WWII | 9/16/1940 - 7/25/1947 | 90 total days |
| Nat. Guard & Res. (Gulf War) | 8/2/1990 – Present | 90 days active service |
Spouse of a veteran
- Unremarried spouse of a veteran dying in service or from a service connected disability
- Spouse of a service member missing in action or a prisoner of war
- Surviving spouse who remarries on or after age 57, and on or after 12/16/03****
- Surviving spouses of certain totally disabled veterans whose disability may not have been cause of death
National Guard and Reserve
Six years of service in the Selected Reserve or National Guard, and
(1) Honorable discharge; (2) Placed on the retired list; (3) Transfer to the Standby Reserve or an element of the Ready Reserve other than the Selected Reserve after honorable service, or (4) Continued service in the Selected Reserve
Others eligible
- Certain U.S. citizens with military service for U.S. WWII allies
- Merchant seaman with World War II service
- Academy cadets or midshipmen (Army, AF, Navy, Coast Guard)
- Certain public health service officers or officers of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
- Not enough service but discharged due to hardship, convenience of the government, reduction-in-force, certain medical conditions or a service-connected disability
*Officer start date: 10/17/1981 **Officer end date: 10/16/1981 *** Start date for service in the Republic of Vietnam: 2/28/1961****A surviving spouse remarried before 12/6/03 and reaching age 57, must have applied by 12/15/04 for eligibility.
Once certified, an applicant can apply to use the guaranty on these financing and refinancing opportunities:
- Purchase or build a residence
- Purchase a condominium or duplex
- Purchase and imporve a residence
- Purchase a manufactured home/lot
- Refinance an existing home loan
- Install energy improvements
Qualified service members are those that have received a discharge other than dishonorable from an eligible branch of the service, including the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Nat. Guard and Reserve and US. Military academies. They also meet the service requirements charted below.
Source: VA Home LoanOpens in new tab