M21-1 Manual  /  Part II, Subpart i, Chapter 2, Section B

Recording the Date of Receipt and Handling Signatures and Outdated Forms

M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, Chapter 2, Section B

Overview

In This Section

This section contains the following topics:
TopicTopic Name
1Recording the Date of Receipt of Incoming Documents
2Signatures
3Procedures for Alternate Signers
4Handling Outdated or Discontinued Forms

1. Recording the Date of Receipt of Incoming Documents

Introduction

This topic contains policies and procedures for recording the date of receipt on documents the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) receives, including
  • requirement to stamp the date of receipt on all incoming documents
  • handling documents processed without a date stamp
  • placement of the date stamp on incoming documents
  • date of receipt for mail processed in the Centralized Mail (CM) portal
  • special handling procedures for CM sent to Newnan scanning facility, and
  • handling original documents.

Change Date

March 1, 2021

II.i.2.B.1.a. Requirement to Stamp the Date of Receipt on All Incoming Documents

Each document submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must receive a stamp with the date of receipt. The table below outlines requirements regarding the type of date stamps used by facilities and locations where VA has a presence.
If at a(n) ...Then the document requires a(n) ...
regional office (RO)electronic date stamp containing black ink.
out-based facilityelectronic or manual date stamp containing red ink and identifying the
  • RO name
  • RO number
  • date received, and
  • out-based office where the mail was received.
    • Note: An out-based facility must obtain and use an electronic or manual date stamp. In an interim period, while the out-based facility is obtaining an electronic or manual date stamp, annotate the document with
    • date of receipt
    • signature of employee receiving the document
    • RO name
    • RO number
    • current date (if different than date of receipt), and
    • time.
    Reference: For more information on handling procedures specific to pre-discharge claims, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 6.B.1.
site conducting outreach activitiesannotate the document with
  • date of receipt, recorded either by annotation or manual date stamp
  • signature of employee receiving the document
  • RO name
  • RO number
  • current date (if different than date of receipt), and
  • time.
Note: These procedures apply when it is not possible to record date of receipt via electronic submission through an approved VA system or the use of an electronic date stamp.
Centralized Mail (CM) scanning vendordate applied to the scanned/converted image by the vendor.
Exceptions:
  • When special controlled correspondence is received through an RO congressional e-mail box, utilize the sent/received date on the e-mail as the date of receipt. Directly upload the mail to the claims folder and do not forward for CM processing or scanning.
  • When documents are received electronically and directly imported into Veterans Benefit Management System (VBMS), including Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) claims, it is not necessary to print out the documents for the purpose of applying a wet-ink date stamp.
    • These documents can be uploaded and/or transmitted directly into the electronic claims folder (eFolder).
    • The DATE OF RECEIPT field on the UPLOAD DOCUMENT screen in VBMS must be accurately populated to reflect the date the document first came into VA possession.
Note: The Digits-to-Digits (D2D) electronic claims service is a data delivery service built to enable a Veteran’s representative to electronically submit claims and evidence. The implementation agreement with the Veterans service organizations (VSOs) provides that if an electronic claim that met VA-specified D2D standards was not successfully submitted or did not result in a confirmation ID it will not be considered received by VA for the purpose of determining the effective date of the claim. A new claim must be successfully re-submitted through D2D. The date of claim will be the date of receipt of the successfully re-submitted claim. References: For more information on

II.i.2.B.1.b. Handling Documents Processed Without a Date Stamp

Use the guidance in the table below when attempting to determine the date the VA received a document processed without a date stamp.
If receipt of the document by VA is determined to be ...Then ...
the current datestamp the document with an official date stamp.
prior to the current datehand-write the date of receipt on the document.
unknown
  • hand-write the best estimate for the date of receipt, and
  • identify it as an estimate on the document.
Important:
  • All hand-written annotations must include the
    • RO number
    • RO name
    • employee's signature
    • current date, and
    • current time.
  • The “received date” on a fax is an acceptable date stamp for documents faxed and incorporated into the eFolder. It is not necessary to print out such documents, stamp with the date of receipt, and upload back into the eFolder.
  • When mail is received via e-mail through an authorized mailbox, accept the “sent” date electronically recorded on the e-mail as an acceptable date stamp and upload the e-mail to the claims folder. Do not, however, accept claims or claims-related material via unsolicited e-mails submitted to an individual employee mailbox or other unauthorized mailboxes. When an attempt is made by a claimant or an authorized representative to submit claims or claims-related material via e-mail to an unauthorized mailbox, a courtesy reply should be provided to direct the submission via CM submission.
  • When the procedures in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.1.a concerning documenting date of receipt are not followed but the date of receipt is otherwise documented and there is no indication of fraud or other apparent disparity, accept the documented date of receipt and/or utilize the estimated date of acceptance procedures referenced above.
Note: If the RO experiences unusual delays in the delivery of incoming documents (from the mailroom, intake site, other ROs, etc.), the Veterans Service Center Manger or Pension Management Center Manager may instruct employees to annotate the date the RO received the documents.

II.i.2.B.1.c. Placement of the Date Stamp on Incoming Documents

Place the date stamp on the front of incoming documents in the bottom, right corner whenever possible, but do not obscure data (e.g. images, hand-written or typed text, etc.).Date stamp on the first page of all
  • VA forms
  • claimant correspondence, and
  • cover sheets (from designated representatives (powers of attorney (POAs), attorneys, etc.)
Date stamp the first and last page of all medical evidence.Note: Do not separate batches of incoming mail. Keep batches together with a staple, rubber band, or binder clip and separately date stamp the evidence items as described above.

II.i.2.B.1.d. Date of Receipt for Mail Processed in the CM Portal

Date of receipt for mail routed through the CM portal is determined by the earliest official dateNotes:
  • The date of receipt used by the scanning contractor and displayed in the portal generally reflects the earliest date of receipt.
  • If an earlier date of receipt is discovered, edit the document properties in the VBMS claims folder.
Reference: For more information on editing document properties in VBMS, see the VBMS Core User Guide.

II.i.2.B.1.e. Special Handling Procedures for CM Sent to Newnan Scanning Facility

After the Newnan scanning facility ceased its operations, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) instructed the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to forward mail addressed to the Newnan, Georgia post office (P.O.) box to the Janesville, Wisconsin P.O. box where it would be properly date stamped and scanned. Due to a critical failure with the USPS commercial forwarding system, USPS did not promptly forward VBA mail from the Newnan facility to the Janesville facility. This incident impacted mail sent to the Newnan address between January 25 and February 26, 2016. As a result of this delay, special procedures are required to assign an appropriate date stamp to this mail to avoid an adverse impact to affected claimants. Follow the steps in the table below for identification and handling of affected mail.

Step

Action

1

Review the mail packet to determine whether all of the following criteria apply:
  • the envelope is addressed to the Newnan scanning facility
  • a Newnan date stamp is not affixed to the mail packet, and
  • a Janesville date stamp is affixed to the mail packet.
If all of the criteria are
  • met, go to Step 2.
  • not met, utilize the date stamp indicated on the mail packet.
Important: These procedures do not apply to documents received during the impacted period and
  • addressed to the Janesville facility
  • faxed to the Newnan facility, or
  • submitted electronically via the Stakeholder Enterprise Portal (SEP) or eBenefits.
2For affected mail, utilize the criteria in the table below to determine the date of claim.
If a postmark date ...Then ...
is recorded on the mailuse the postmark date as date of receipt.
is not recorded on the mail and there is a date the application was signeduse the date the application was signed, if after January 25, 2016.
is not recorded on the mail and
  • there is no date the application was signed
  • the application was signed on or before January 25, 2016, and/or
  • there is no other identifying date
use January 25, 2016.

II.i.2.B.1.f. Handling Original Documents

Claimants occasionally submit original versions of the following documents in support of their claims:
  • court records and papers, and
  • marriage, birth, death, and discharge certificates.
VBA no longer requires return of these documents to the claimant.Note: Original copies of legal documents are not routinely required during claims processing. There is no mechanism in place to retrieve original documents once shipped to the scanning vendor.

2. Signatures

Introduction

This topic contains guidance regarding acceptable types of signatures, including
  • signature by
    • X mark or thumbprint, and
    • pencil
  • low quality scanned signatures
  • faxed and photocopied signatures
  • signatures by VA employees
  • definition of a digital or electronic signature
  • acceptable electronic or digital signatures
  • procedures for
    • acceptance of signatures, and
    • review of previously rejected signatures, and
  • example of handling a previously rejected signature on
    • a claim, and
    • claim-related material.

Change Date

December 2, 2020

II.i.2.B.2.a. Signature by X Mark or Thumbprint

Accept signatures by X mark or thumbprint only if any one of the following individuals (or group of individuals) witness the mark or thumbprint:
  • two persons who give their addresses
  • a VA employee
  • a VSO representative
  • an attorney
  • an accredited agent
  • a notary public, or
  • a person having the authority to administer oaths for general purposes.
References: For more information on

II.i.2.B.2.b. Signature by Pencil

Accept signatures (or an X mark as a signature) that a claimant makes by pencil.

II.i.2.B.2.c. Low Quality Scanned Signatures

In the event a low-quality scanned document is received, claims processors will interpret poor quality signatures as belonging to the proper claimant. Note: Development for a duplicate signature is not appropriate when based solely upon the scanning quality of the signature received on a document.

II.i.2.B.2.d. Faxed and Photocopied Signatures

Faxed or photocopied versions of original wet signatures are acceptable for VA purposes.

II.i.2.B.2.e. Signatures by VA Employees

When authority exists for a VA employee to complete forms on behalf of a claimant, or when the claims process otherwise requires a signature by a VA employee acting in an official capacity, the employee may substitute a typed name, station number, and position title for a wet or digital signature.

II.i.2.B.2.f. Definition: Digital or Electronic Signature

A digital signature is an encrypted digital code appended to an electronic document to verify that the document was created by a known source and has not been altered. An electronic signature is a signature, or its equivalent, that is affixed to an electronic document. Notes: For VA purposes
  • an electronic signature is any signature affixed to an electronic document that was captured by an electronic signature pad or similar device or a typed/written signature created using a computer keyboard interface, but
  • an electronic signature is not an electronic transmission of a signature that originated as a wet signature such as a
    • scanned copy of a signature, or
    • faxed copy of a signature.

II.i.2.B.2.g. Acceptable Electronic or Digital Signatures

VBA must be able to conclude that a signature is from the person purporting to sign regardless of the format of the signature. The requirement to determine the authenticity of a signature, whatever the form, is inherent in the administrative process. Accept an electronic or digital signature or other image of a signature on a claim, decision review request, or legacy appeal for benefits, or associated form, unless there are clear indications of
  • fraud, or
  • inauthenticity of the signature.
Example: A claim is signed on February 1, 2017, with the claimant’s electronic signature. Subsequent correspondence indicates that the claimant passed away December 22, 2016. As the claimant was deceased at the time the claim was signed, there is clear indication of fraud. The signature must not be accepted. References: For more information on

II.i.2.B.2.h. Procedures for Acceptance of Signatures

The policy and associated procedures for acceptance of digital and electronic signatures, as expressed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.2.g, are effective June 20, 2017, and apply to
  • any claim pending on June 20, 2017
  • any previously received claims-related materials pending and not already rejected for an unacceptable signature in compliance with prior policies and procedures
  • requests for review of previously rejected claims when the request for review is received within one year of the date of receipt of the rejected claim, and
  • any claims and claims-related materials received on or after June 20, 2017.

II.i.2.B.2.i. Procedures for Review of Previously Rejected Signatures

Follow the procedures below when a signature on a claim or legacy appeal was properly rejected based on policies and procedures in place at the time of rejection and a request for review of the prior claim is received.
  • If the request for review is received within one year of the date of receipt of the rejected claim, consider the request for review as sufficient evidence to complete the prior incomplete claim. Review the prior claim as if it was properly signed at the time and
    • establish the proper end product (EP) control based on the type of claim with a date of claim corresponding with the date of receipt of the request for review, and
    • award any associated benefits based on the date of receipt of the previously-rejected claim.
  • If the request was not received within one year of the date of receipt of the rejected claim, no revision or reconsideration of prior actions to reject a signature should be made. A complete, signed claim on a prescribed claim form must be submitted.
Under prior policies and procedures, non-claim forms, such as certification statements that require claimant signatures, may also have been rejected due to improper electronic signatures. Subsequent development may have occurred to request a properly signed form. When a signature on claims-related material was properly rejected and the associated claim remains pending or a subsequent legacy appeal is received, consider the claims-related material to have an acceptable signature and proceed with consideration of the claims-related material in connection with the pending claim or legacy appeal.

II.i.2.B.2.j. Example of Handling a Previously Rejected Signature on a Claim

Situation: A Veteran submits a claim on February 21, 2017, that includes an electronic signature. On March 12, 2017, the claim was properly rejected based on an unacceptable electronic signature under the guidance previously in place. The claimant was properly notified of the incomplete application and advised to submit a properly signed claim within one year to preserve the effective date of the claim. On June 21, 2017, the Veteran’s representative submitted a statement asking for review of the rejected claim based on the revised policy. A newly-signed claim form has not been submitted.Result: The claim received on February 21, 2017, was properly rejected based on policies and procedures at the time of the rejection. However, as the request for review of the prior claim was received within one year of the date of receipt of the prior application (considered incomplete at the time) and is sufficient evidence to now complete the claim, the claim may be established with a date of claim of June 21, 2017, the date of receipt of the request for review. Any assignment of effective date for subsequently granted benefits must be established based on the date of receipt of the February 21, 2017, claim.

II.i.2.B.2.k. Example of Handling a Previously Rejected Signature on Claim-Related Material

Situation: A Veteran submits VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, on January 15, 2017, and the claim is accepted. It includes a claim for entitlement to individual unemployability (IU). VA Form 21-8940, Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability, is subsequently submitted on February 22, 2017, but includes an electronic signature. Subsequent development was completed on March 5, 2017, advising the Veteran that the VA Form 21-8940 could not be accepted because it included an improper electronic signature. The claim received on January 15, 2017, remains pending. No VA Form 21-8940 has been received with a revised signature from the Veteran. Result: As the claim of January 15, 2017, remains pending, accept the VA Form 21-8940 with the electronic signature and give full consideration to it as the claim for IU is developed and decided.

3. Procedures for Alternate Signers

Introduction

This topic contains guidance on individuals who are authorized to sign claim documents, including
  • individuals authorized to sign on behalf of a claimant
  • requirements for an alternate signer
  • handling
    • a form or application with an alternate signature
    • discrepant information on a form with an alternate signature, and
    • VA application forms with an alternate signer certification, and
  • sample development language for alternate signer.

Change Date

July 22, 2025

II.i.2.B.3.a. Individuals Authorized to Sign on Behalf of a Claimant

Public Law (PL) 112-154, Section 502, amended 38 U.S.C. 5101 to authorize VA to accept an alternate signature on behalf of claimants or beneficiaries who
  • are under age 18
  • lack the mental capacity to provide substantially accurate information needed to complete a form or to certify that the statements made on a form are true and complete, or
  • are physically unable to sign a form.
References: For more information on
  • requirements for alternate signers, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.b, and
  • actions to take upon receipt of a form or application with an alternate signature, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.c.

II.i.2.B.3.b. Requirements for an Alternate Signer

38 U.S.C. 5101 requires an alternate signer be at least one of the following:
  • a court-appointed representative
  • an individual responsible for the care of the claimant or beneficiary, including a spouse or other relative
  • an attorney-in-fact or agent authorized to act on behalf of the claimant or beneficiary under a durable POA, or
  • a manager or principal officer acting on behalf of an institution caring for the claimant or beneficiary.
Note: When the evidence of record includes documentation reflecting that a court or VA finding has been made concerning the claimant’s competency status, accept a signature of any of the following on behalf of a claimant without following the procedures for alternate signers:
  • a court appointed guardian
  • a court appointed fiduciary (with an associated finding of incompetency), or
  • a VA appointed fiduciary.
Reference: For more information reviewing documents pertaining to a claimant’s competency status, see

II.i.2.B.3.c. Handling a Form or Application With an Alternate Signature

When an alternate signer certifies or represents that they are an appropriate signer under the criteria set forth in 38 U.S.C. 5101, VA will generally accept the alternate signature in the absence of discrepant information. Use the table below upon receipt of a VA form or evidentiary documentation signed by a third party.
If the submitted documentation ...Then ...
is a VA form which contains an alternate signer certification which is completed satisfactorily per the instructions on the formaccept the signature of the third party without additional development.
is in support of a new or pending claim, and is received with or following receipt of
  • a satisfactorily completed alternate signer certification from that alternate signer found on a
    • VA Form 21-0972, or
    • VA application form with an alternate signer certification, and
  • there is no evidence showing that the beneficiary’s situation has changed since the alternate signature was completed which would make them no longer eligible for an alternate signer as listed in 38 U.S.C. 5101
accept the signature of the third party without additional development. Important: When a VA application form with an alternate signer certification has been received and meets the requirements for an acceptable signature as specified within this table, the alternate signer named on that form may sign any subsequent evidence on behalf of the claimant in support of that pending claim. This authorization extends until the earlier of the following:
  • the pending claim is completed or closed, or
  • evidence of record indicates the beneficiary’s situation changed resulting in them no longer meeting the criteria listed in 38 U.S.C. 5101.
Exceptions:
  • VA forms may be accepted from a previously accepted alternate signer in conjunction with a pending claim only for the purpose of providing evidence supporting that claim.
  • If the alternate signer submits evidence which is not a VA form listed on the VA Form 21-0972 that would lead to an adverse action, follow the guidance in M21-1, Part I, Subpart i, 1.B.2.a to ensure appropriate notice and due process is provided.
  • Certain medical forms may have additional statutory requirements as to who may sign them. If VA receives notice from a medical provider that the signature on a VA form is not acceptable to complete a request, develop for the appropriate signature given the unique situation.
does not meet one of the requirements abovefollow the procedures outlined in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.d.
Notes: References: For more information on
  • the requirements for an alternate signer, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.b, and
  • handling discrepant information on a form with an alternate signature, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.d.

II.i.2.B.3.d. Handling Discrepant Information on a Form With an Alternate Signature

VA will generally accept an alternate signature in the absence of discrepant information as long as it meets the criteria listed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.c.Use the table below upon
If the document is a(n) ...Then ...
application as defined in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 1.A.1
  • send the alternate signer the Incomplete Application letter with a carbon copy to the claimant, and
  • include
    • a VA Form 21-0972,and
    • the sample language provided in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.f.
Reference: For more information on handling a VA form that includes the alternate signer certification and acknowledgment paragraph, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.e.
form listed on the VA Form 21-0972 other than an application Example: A VA Form 21-0781, Statement in Support of Claimed Mental Health Disorder(s) Due to an In-Service Traumatic Event(s), received in conjunction with a pending claim for service connection.
  • send the alternate signer an applicable development letter based on the type of form submitted with a carbon copy to the claimant, and
  • include
    • a VA Form 21-0972, and
    • the sample language provided in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.f.
item other than those VA forms listed on the VA Form 21-0972develop for the claimant’s signature, as needed, according to procedures specific to the particular form submitted.

II.i.2.B.3.e. Handling VA Application Forms With an Alternate Signer Certification

Certain VA application forms include an alternate signer certification and acknowledgment paragraph. Send the Incomplete Application letter with a VA Form 21-0972 to the alternate signer for clarification with a carbon copy to the claimant, and include the sample language in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.3.f, when
  • a completed VA application form is received that does not contain the required certification language, and
  • the evidence or information before VA is unclear as to whether an alternate signer is appropriate under PL 112-154 and 38 U.S.C. 5101.

II.i.2.B.3.f. Sample Development Language for Alternate Signer

When sending a letter to develop to the alternate signer, claimant, and/or beneficiary, use the sample language below if
  • the signature on the form clearly belongs to someone other than the claimant or beneficiary, and
  • there is not a completed VA application form that includes the required alternate signer certification, and
  • there is
    • no evidence or information of record that would allow VA to ascertain the basis for the alternate signer designation, or
    • discrepant information that is questionable or conflicting in establishing the authority of the alternate signer of the form.
Please complete and return the enclosed VA Form 21-0972, Alternate Signer Certification, to advise us of the basis for signing the form on behalf of the claimant or beneficiary. VA allows for alternate signers to sign a form or application on behalf of claimants and beneficiaries who:
  • have not attained the age of 18 years,
  • lack the mental capacity to provide substantially accurate information needed to complete a form, or to certify that the statements made on a form are true and complete, or
  • are physically unable to sign forms.
The public law defines an alternate signer as falling into at least one of the following categories:
  • individual responsible for the care of the claimant or beneficiary, including a spouse or other relative, or
  • court-appointed representative, or
  • attorney-in-fact or agent authorized to act on behalf of the claimant under a durable power of attorney, or
  • a manager or principal officer acting on behalf of an institution which is responsible for the care of the claimant.

4. Handling Outdated or Discontinued Forms

Introduction

This topic contains information about outdated versions of forms, including
  • accepting outdated versions of a VA form
  • determining the date a form becomes outdated
  • example of outdated form determination
  • rejecting an outdated version of a VA form, and
  • handling discontinued forms.

Change Date

August 15, 2022

II.i.2.B.4.a. Accepting Outdated Versions of a VA Form

A form becomes outdated when a newer version of the form is released.In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and associated policies and procedures of the Office of Management and Budget, outdated versions of forms can be accepted only in limited circumstances as the outdated versions of forms are no longer the official form prescribed by the Secretary of VA. For claims processing purposes, generally accept only the current version of a form. Exceptions: Outdated versions of forms may be accepted only in the circumstances described below.
  • Accept the outdated version of the form without regard to the date of submission when generated through a VA electronic claims submission website or other VA system that includes form-generation capacity. Claim labels and document properties in VBMS will clearly denote the source of the submission.
  • As an interim procedure pending appropriate systems updates, accept outdated forms when submitted by an authorized VSO representative whether submitted electronically or via paper.
  • When VA forms are not submitted by a VSO representative, the outdated form may be accepted for 12 months after a revision of a form to allow for depletion of existing stock of forms and/or systems updates. Accept the old version through the last day of the month 12 months after the date the form was revised.
Notes:
  • When accepting an outdated version of a form based on the exceptions identified above, develop for any information required to process the claim that is requested on the current version of the form but not requested on the outdated version. When the information collected on the current version is not required to process the claim, then additional development is not necessary unless indicated in other policies or procedures.
  • Part of the requirement for a substantially complete claim is that it be submitted on a form prescribed by the Secretary. When a claim is submitted on an outdated version of a claim form and none of the above-listed exceptions applies or the claim is otherwise incomplete, handle the claim as an incomplete claim as directed at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 1.C.
References: For more information on

II.i.2.B.4.b. Determining the Date a Form Becomes Outdated

In most cases, as described in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.4.a, a prior version of a form becomes outdated one year after the date that the form is revised. Determine the current version date of a form by referring to the
  • date at the bottom left corner of the form, which identifies the month and year the form was approved or revised (normally near the form number), or
  • REVISION DATE field on the VA Forms Website or the Publications Index from the Compensation Service Intranet Home Page. The ISSUE DATE field on these websites is not relevant to determining the date of the current version or the date the form became outdated.
Note: The current version of the form normally provides the prior version of the form that has been superseded. This information is customarily located near the form number and version date at the bottom of the form.

II.i.2.B.4.c. Example of Outdated Form Determination

As noted in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.4.b, information on the current version of the form can be used to determine whether a prior version is outdated. Example: A Veteran submitted VA Form 21-526EZ on August 22, 2018, using the February 2016 version of the form. As of August 22, 2018, the current version of VA Form 21-526EZ is dated March 2018 as indicated by the version date on the form and the REVISION DATE field on the VA forms websites. The current version of VA Form 21-526EZ also shows that the February 2016 version was the prior version.A prior version of a form may be accepted for one year after the form has been revised as directed at M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.4.a. Thus, the February 2016 version of VA Form 21-526EZ is acceptable through March 2019, one year after the current version date. The claim is valid, and development should begin.

II.i.2.B.4.d. Rejecting an Outdated Version of a VA Form

When an outdated form must be rejected, return the form to the Veteran and POA, if necessary, using the procedures below.
  • For outdated claims forms when a claim has
    • not yet been established, follow incomplete application procedures directed at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 1.C, but modify Step 5 to prepare the Incomplete Application letter. Edit the final sentence of the opening paragraph of the Incomplete Application letter to read: We cannot process your claim until it is resubmitted on the proper current version of the claim form, or
    • been incorrectly established based on an outdated claim form, follow the procedures at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.E.
  • For outdated non-claim forms, use the Outdated Form—Non-claim letter. Allow the claimant 30 days to submit the proper version of the form.

II.i.2.B.4.e. Handling Discontinued Forms

A form becomes discontinued when its creation and distribution is stopped without a replacement under the same form number and/or name. When a form is discontinued, its use must cease effective on the date of discontinuance. Do not apply outdated forms policies and procedures, including those from M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.B.4.a, to discontinued forms.
  • For discontinued claim forms, when a claim has
    • not yet been established, follow incomplete application procedures directed at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 1.C, but modify Step 5 to prepare the Incomplete Application letter. Edit the final sentence of the opening paragraph of the Incomplete Application letter to read: We cannot process your claim until it is resubmitted on the proper claim form, or
    • been incorrectly established based on a discontinued claim form, follow the procedures at M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 2.E.
  • For discontinued non-claim forms,
    • modify the Outdated Form—Non-claim letter as warranted based on the circumstances of the form discontinuation and the existence of any replacement forms. Allow the claimant 30 days to submit whichever form replaces the discontinued form, if applicable, or
    • review the information on the discontinued form to determine evidentiary value.
Example: VA Form 21-526, Veteran’s Application for Compensation and/or Pension, and VA Form 21-526b, Veteran’s Supplemental Claim for Compensation, were discontinued effective February 19, 2019. Do not accept a claim submitted on these forms on or after February 19, 2019.Reference: For more information on reviewing evidence, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, 1.A.

Source: VA M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, Chapter 2, Section B (U.S. government work, reproduced for reference). Browse all sections →