Eligibility Requirements

The VA loan program is available exclusively to active or retired military service members and their families. The military service eligibility guidelines for a VA loan are as follows:

If military service was during peacetime, you must have served at least 181 days, active duty.
If military service was during wartime, you must have served at least 90 days, active duty.
If military service was in the Reserves or National Guard, you must have served at least 6 years.
If you are a surviving spouse, you must be an unmarried spouse of a veteran who died while in service or from a service-connected disability, or you must be a spouse of a service member missing in action or a prisoner of war. Surviving spouses of certain totally disabled veterans whose disability may not have been the cause of death may also be eligible.

A few other things you should know about your eligibility for a VA loan are:

Qualification guidelines. The VA has specific rules for their loan product.
Property & Ownership Requirements. The home you are planning to purchase or refinance with a VA loan must be your primary residence.

Your VA loan advisor can answer additional questions about VA loan eligibility.

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Mortgage Lending Team