In order to obtain VA Home Loan financing, you will need a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE). VA determines your eligibility and, if you are qualified, a Certificate of Eligibility will be issued.

Most lenders will help you obtain your COE as part of the application process for your VA Home Loan. In many cases Veterans can obtain their COE from a lender that has access to the ACE
(Automated Certificate of Eligibility) system. This internet based system can establish eligibility and issue an online COE in a matter of seconds. Not all cases can be processed through ACE, only those for which VA has sufficient data.

If the certificate can not be issued by ACE, it can be requested from VA by completing VA Form 26-1880, “Request for a Certificate of Eligibility”. This form can be obtained at any VA office or at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/

Form 26-1880 must be submitted with proof of service. Active duty personnel must submit the request with a Statement of Service from base or command that is signed by the appropriate official. If you have been discharged from service, mail the request with a copy of your DD214. The request is mailed to the Eligibility Center in Winston Salem, North Carolina along with a return addressed postage paid envelope.

There is no uniform document similar to the DD214 for proof of service for Veterans who served in the Selected Reserve/National Guard. A number of different forms may be accepted as documentation of service.

If all this sounds a bit confusing, your best bet is to contact a VA Loan Specialist at VA LoanCenter.net. They have access to the ACE system and can check for your certificate online. If your information is not in the ACE database, they can email you form 26-1880 as part of your application package and will send in the request (with priority return postage) to the Eligibility Center for you.