Many military members want to know which documents are produced and reviewed during the VA loan underwriting stage. They are concerned that the underwriting process may influence their VA loan file and what lenders check. This guide explains what lenders may look for so you can move forward with confidence.
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What documents are required during VA loan underwriting? Find My Local Financing Paths in About 60 Seconds with No Impact on My Credit Score.
SHORT ANSWER
VA loan underwriting produces VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis as the primary certification document — signed by a VA-approved underwriter on every loan — along with the AUS feedback certificate and underwriter’s certification for automated underwriting cases, and a CAIVRS check confirming no unresolved federal debt obligations before the VA home loan file can advance to closing under VA rules. Smart Loan Savings Educational Content
| Target Element Name | Underwriting Impact on Your VA Loan Profile |
|---|---|
| AUS Refer Finding | A computer cannot issue an approval on your VA home loan file under VA rules when the AUS feedback certificate returns a refer finding — meaning the automated system was not used to issue the approval and a person underwrites your file by hand. When the file moves to manual underwriting, the VA-approved underwriter completes VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis by hand, documents each qualifying component, and signs the form certifying the underwriting decision before the file can advance. For example, what borrowers often learn on the call is that a manual underwriting decision and an AUS-approved decision both produce a signed VA Form 26-6393 — the difference is that the manual file requires the underwriter to document the compensating factors and reasoning supporting the approval in writing, which is why the Loan Analysis form on a manually underwritten VA home loan file is often more detailed than on an AUS-approved file. |
| VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis — The Underwriter’s Certification Document | Lenders require a VA-approved underwriter to sign VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis on every VA home loan under VA rules — the form summarizes the income analysis, DTI calculation, extra monthly money figure, credit evaluation, and the underwriter’s overall qualifying determination. An electronic signature is acceptable. For example, what borrowers often learn on the call is that the Loan Analysis form is the document that legally connects the underwriter to the qualifying decision — the VA Handbook confirms that VA-approved underwriters must certify each loan on this form, and the final signed URLA, the Loan Analysis, and the AUS feedback must all reflect the same information, meaning any change to the qualifying numbers at any point in the process requires the form to be updated and re-signed before the file can move to closing on the VA home loan file. |
| AUS Feedback Certificate and Underwriter’s Certification for Automated Cases | Lenders include the AUS feedback certificate and the underwriter’s certification as required documents for automated underwriting cases under VA rules. The feedback certificate is the system-generated output confirming the AUS finding. The underwriter’s certification confirms the underwriter reviewed the feedback and the file matches the data submitted. For example, what borrowers often learn on the call is that the AUS feedback certificate is only as reliable as the data that was entered — and the underwriter’s certification step exists specifically to confirm that the income figures, the debt obligations, and the credit information in the AUS system match the actual documents in the file, catching any data entry discrepancies before the loan closes on the VA mortgage file. |
| CAIVRS Check — Federal Debt Clearance at Underwriting | Lenders run a CAIVRS check on every borrower and co-borrower under VA rules during underwriting to confirm there are no unresolved federal debt obligations — including prior VA loan defaults, FHA claim payments, student loan defaults, or other federal agency delinquencies. A CAIVRS hit stops the file until the underlying federal debt is resolved. For example, what borrowers often learn on the call is that CAIVRS is not a credit report — it is a federal government system that specifically tracks debts owed to federal agencies, and a borrower who had a prior VA loan that resulted in a claim payment to the VA may show a CAIVRS hit even if their credit report looks clean, making the CAIVRS check one of the underwriting steps that can surface issues not visible anywhere else on the VA home loan file. |
| The Debt-to-Income Ratio | This is also called debt-to-income under VA rules. Lenders check if your monthly bills fit the standard debt rules used across VA programs. For example, what borrowers often learn on the call is that the DTI figure on VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis is the underwriter’s final calculated ratio — it reflects every income source verified, every debt confirmed, and the proposed new mortgage payment, and any document that changes one of those inputs after the form is signed requires the underwriter to recalculate and re-sign the Loan Analysis before the VA home loan file can proceed to closing under VA rules. |
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| Approval Metric Checklist | Mortgage Requirements |
|---|---|
| Credit Score Baseline | VA mortgage programs may not share one standard minimum score, and individual lenders may use their own VA-aligned rules. |
| Required Equity Cushion | VA home loan options may let you buy a home with no money down depending on full entitlement and lender program rules. |
| Emergency Cash Reserve | Lenders check your bank accounts to see if you have enough money to help cover home loan closing costs. |
| Your Personal Income | Lenders check your pay history, employment history, or tax paperwork to verify your VA mortgage capacity. |
| Debt-to-Income Limits | Lenders check your total monthly bills plus the new mortgage to see if they fit within standard debt rules used across VA mortgage programs. |
| Property Value Checks | VA loans use a home appraisal to check if the property value fits the final mortgage loan amount. |
| Sources Used on This Page | VA Lender’s Handbook — benefits.va.gov Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — consumerfinance.gov |
| VA loan guidelines are set by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Individual lender overlays may apply and vary by program. This page is provided for educational purposes only. Smart Loan Savings Educational Content | |
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| People Also Ask | Answer Summary |
|---|---|
| What is VA Form 26-6393 and why is it required? | VA Form 26-6393 Loan Analysis is the underwriter’s certification document — a VA-approved underwriter must sign it on every VA loan confirming the income, DTI, and credit qualifying decision under VA rules. |
| What is a CAIVRS check on a VA loan? | CAIVRS is a federal system that checks for unresolved federal debt obligations — a hit stops the VA home loan file until the underlying debt is resolved, and it can surface issues not visible on the credit report under VA rules. |
| What documents are required for automated underwriting cases on a VA loan? | Automated underwriting cases require the AUS feedback certificate and the underwriter’s certification confirming the file data matches what was submitted to the system — both are required on the VA home loan file under VA rules. |
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| VA Loan Eligibility Rules FAQ Hub | VA loan eligibility, entitlement, service requirements, and who qualifies. |
| VA Loan Income and DTI Rules FAQ Hub | Income types, Debt-to-Income Ratio limits, employment history, and residual income rules. |
| VA Loan Credit Score Rules FAQ Hub | Credit score guidelines, collections, bankruptcies, and lender overlays. |
| VA Loan Documentation Rules FAQ Hub | Income documents, asset statements, ID requirements, and closing paperwork. |
| VA Loan Limits Rules FAQ Hub | VA loan limits, entitlement calculations, and jumbo VA loan guidelines. |
| VA Loan Occupancy Rules FAQ Hub | Primary residence requirements, deployment exceptions, and occupancy timelines. |
| VA Loan Rates and Costs FAQ Hub | VA interest rates, funding fees, closing costs, and discount points. |
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| VA Loan Seasoning and Waiting Periods FAQ Hub Coming Soon | Waiting periods after bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sale, and late payments. |
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