United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions Lost PIN/Password Login Instructions Policies & Disclaimers

When asking people for personal information, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must follow the Privacy Act of 1974, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations.

Why do we need this information?

We need this information to determine your continuing eligibility for education benefits and the proper amount payable.

What authority do we have to collect this information?

Title 38 United States Code, section 3684 authorizes us to collect this information. You don’t have to complete this form and we can’t require you to respond unless this form’s OMB Control Number (2900-0465) is valid. The OMB Internet Home Page (www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/index.html) shows the OMB Control Numbers for VA approved forms.

What happens if you don't give us this information?

If you don't give us this information, we may be unable to give you the benefit you're asking for. Giving this information is required for receiving a benefit.

Can we give this information to people outside VA?

We can release information outside VA only when the Privacy Act of 1974 or our confidentiality law (38 USC 5701) allows it. These laws allow us to release the information you put on this form to people outside VA in certain situations. You can find the situations and information when we can release your information in the description of VA’s systems of records in the Federal Register. In some cases, the law allows us to release information even if you don’t agree to it.

Some examples of situations where information might be released to people outside VA include:

  • communicating with members of Congress or other representatives to answer an inquiry you requested
  • collecting debts owed the Federal Government
  • enforcing civil or criminal law
  • comparing with information kept by other Federal agencies

The information we receive may be used to establish or verify your eligibility for VA benefits and debt collection. In all other cases, we must get your written permission before we give information to people outside VA.

How long will it take to complete this form?

We estimate you’ll need about 4 minutes to complete this form. This includes the time to read the instructions, gather the necessary information, and fill out the form.

Do you have comments about the time needed to complete this form?

If you have comments about how long it took you to complete the form or have any suggestions for reducing this time, please call 1-888-442-4551 and ask where you should send your comments.