I Have Military Background: How Can I Qualify for a VA Home Loan?

VA home loans are one of our favorite alternatives to conventional financing. Why? Because they offer competitive interest rates and zero-down payment options to qualifying service members.

If you have a military background and want to know if you qualify for a VA home loan, keep reading—we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

I’m Active Military

If you have active military status, you’ve already passed the first part of the test. Take it one step further by answering this question: Have you earned your eligibility certification?

In other words, have you:

• Served 90 consecutive days of active military duty during wartime,
• 181 days during peacetime,
• Or six years in the National Guard or Reserves?

If you answered “yes” to any one of these three questions, you passed the second part of the qualification test.

Now you must meet your lender’s credit and financial requirements, neither of which are set in stone. Lenders generally require a credit score of 580+, and a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio under 55 percent.

I’m a Veteran

If you are a veteran, you still have to meet minimum active-duty service requirements, which vary depending on when you served. To be eligible for a VA loan, you must be a qualifying military member, have satisfactory credit, sufficient income and the purchased property must be the primary residence. 

I’m a National Guard Member

VA home loan eligibility requirements are a bit more straightforward for National Guard members. You meet the minimum service requirement if you served at least 90 days of active duty between August 2, 1990, and the present day. Applicants who served during any other time must have completed:

• 90 days of non-training active-duty service, or
• 90 days of active-duty service, including at least 30 consecutive days
• Six credible years in the National Guard with an honorable discharge or retirement status

I’m a Reserve Member

Here are the VA home loan eligibility requirements for reserve members: If you served for at least 90 days of active duty between August 2, 1990, and the present, you meet the minimum service requirement.

If you served during any other time, you must have:

• A minimum of 90 days of non-training active-duty service, or
• Six credible years of service in the Selected Reserve

In addition, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• Received an honorable discharge
• Placed on the retirement list
• Transferred to the Standby Reserve or an element of the Ready Reserve (excluding the Selected Reserve) after honorable services
• You still serve in the Selected Reserve

I’m a Surviving Spouse

Surviving spouses may be eligible for a VA home loan if the deceased veteran spouse:

• Is missing in action
• Is a prisoner of war
• Did not marry and died in service—or died because of a service-related disability
• Died in service or because of a service-related disability and did not remarry before s/he was 57 years old or before December 16, 2003
• Was disabled and is deceased, but that disability was not the cause of death

Homes for Heroes®

We are a proud affiliate member of Homes for Heroes®, a nationwide network of real estate and mortgage specialists that provide rewards to our nation’s heroes as a way to say “Thank You.” 

As a member of this network, we connect heroes with exclusive cash savings when buying, selling, refinancing, or making home-related purchases. In fact, Homes for Heroes® has helped nearly 55,000 heroes save over $100 million to date. 

Contact Us to Get Started On Your VA Loan

Are you ready to secure some of the best VA loan rates with National Home Loans? Our loan experts are ready to help you! Contact us to request rates today.