VA Loan Eligibility Tables

One of the most common questions about VA home loans--at least for those new to the VA loan benefit--involves the length of time a veteran must serve in the military before he or she is eligible to apply for a VA mortgage loan.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, in VA Pamphlet 26-7 (The VA Lender's Handbook), publishes a quick reference table that lists eligibility requirements based on when a veteran served in the military.

This table does not address all eligibility issues, simply the era of military service and how long the veteran is required to serve prior to being eligible to apply for a VA loan.

The table, reproduced below, lists the era of service, the dates of each era, and the time in service required for VA loan eligibility.

You may have noticed that the table above does not include currently serving military members, those in the National Guard, Reservists, or surviving spouses. That information is listed in the following table:

Again, these tables are very basic and do not give information about specific eligibility requirements. For information on those details, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800 827-1000 or ask us in the comments section.

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