• You are a veteran who served 181 days during peacetime (active duty).
• You are currently on active duty and have served at least 90 continuous days.
• You were discharged from the military due to hardship.
• You are a veteran who served 90 days during wartime (active duty).
• You served at least 6 years in the National Guard or Reserves.
• You are the un-remarried spouse of a veteran who died while in service or from a “service-connected disability.”

Organizing Your Documentation

Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

Borrowers who wish to use a VA loan to buy a house must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). This document is issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The borrower must then present the COE to the lender when applying for the loan. The COE essentially says that the individual meets the Department’s minimum eligibility requirements.

To obtain a COE, applicants must provide evidence of their eligibility. This can be done in several ways:

• Veterans who have separated from the military can provide a DD Form 214. It must show the character of service and the reason for separation.
• Active-duty military personnel, National Guard members, and reservists can provide a statement of service signed by the personnel office (typically) or the unit commander.
• Discharged members of the National Guard who have never been in active service can provide NGB Form 22 or 23.
• Discharged members of the Selected Reserve who have never been in active service can provide a copy of the latest annual retirement points statement and evidence of honorable service.

This is a basic overview of COE documentation requirements. For more detailed information, visit the home loans section of the Department of Veterans Affairs website