6. Can I attach documents to my claim?  Yes.  You can attach up to 5 electronic files to your VONAPP application before you submit it using VONAPP.  The total size of all attachment must be one megabyte or less and must be one of the following file types VONAPP can accept:

• .doc (Word document file)
• .xls (Excel spreadsheet file)
• .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .bmp, .tif (picture files)
• .txt (text file)
• .pdf (Adobe Acrobat file)

7. If I am a Power of Attorney (POA) preparing an application on behalf of my client, what documentation do I need to submit and how should I submit it?

If you are a POA submitting an application on behalf of a client, the following documentation must be submitted to VA:

• A properly executed VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a, if one is not of record with the VA, and
• The application signature page signed by the claimant, if you are filing an application form which requires the claimant's signature.  This includes, but is not limited to, VA Form 21-526 and 21-530.

You can submit VA Form 21-22/21-22a and the application signature page as follows:

• Attach each document to the VONAPP application by scanning and uploading.  Use the VA Forms website at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/ to locate VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a.  Following completion of the form, scan and upload to your computer along with the application signature page. When you have completed the application in VONAPP and select the Submit Form button, you will be prompted to attach documents to your claim.  For more information about attachments, please see Question 6, above.

• Mail them to the VA Regional Office address shown on the confirmation page you will receive following the submission of the application electronically through VONAPP.  Be sure to write the VONAPP confirmation number at the bottom of each page. 

• Fax them to the VA Regional Office.  You can fax the Regional Office shown on the confirmation page you will receive following the submission of the application electronically through VONAPP.  To obtain a fax number, contact the Regional Office at 1-800-827-1000.

8. Should I use regular mail to send in documents about my claim?

If you have documents you want to be a part of your claim, you can:

• Atttach them to your application by uploading to VONAPP.  Upon selecting the Submit Form button in VONAPP (following the completion of your application), you will prompted to submit  attachments to your claim.  Please see Question 6, above, for attachment information.

• Mail them to the VA Regional Office address shown on the confirmation page you received when you submitted your claim electronically through VONAPP.  Write your name and VONAPP confirmation number on each page, and remember to always keep a copy for your records.   

• Fax them to the VA Regional Office.  To obtain a fax number, contact the Regional Office at 1-800-827-1000.  Write your name and VONAPP confirmation number on each page, and remember to always keep a copy for your records.   

9. Do I have to complete every question?

No. There may be questions that do not pertain to you. However, there are some questions that will require an entry, like your name, mailing address, Social Security number, etc. Unless the form tells you not to fill out a question, complete it if you think it relates to your claim.

10. The printed VONAPP form, Veteran’s Application for Compensation and/or Pension, V A Form 21-526, looks different from one I saw recently--why is that?

The VONAPP form that you print out does not contain blocks, lines, spaces, etc., which the regular form has, but the questions on it are the same.

If you want to submit a paper form, do not print and fill out a VONAPP form.  Instead, use the links from the VONAPP Home Page to go to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Home Page.  From there, select the "VA Forms" link in the Forms and Publications box to the right of your screen.  Type in your application number, "21-526," and click "Search."  You can then view and print out an official paper form to complete.

If you have questions about filing our your application form, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-827-1000 for assistance.

11. Will using VONAPP make the application process easier?

Yes and no. There is still a lot of information needed on the compensation and pension application. It will take a lot of time and patience to fill it out whether you use the paper form or use VONAPP; but VONAPP will guide you through the form and supply you with help topics. It also edits certain items so that you will have fewer typing errors. Shorter VONAPP forms will be much easier to fill out.

12. How do I sign a VONAPP form?

Claims for VA education benefits (VA Form 22-1990, 22-1995, 22-5490 and 22-5495):  With the exception of a child not of legal age applying for Dependent's Education Assistance, Chapter 35 benefits, your signature is not required when applying for Education benefits. 

Claims for VA compensation, pension and vocational rehabilitation benefits (VA Form 21-526, 21-686c, 21-4138, and 28-1900):   If you are a service member or veteran, your signature is not required when completing these forms.  Prior to final submission of your application in VONAPP, you will be prompted to certify that all information you have entered on your form is accurate.  Your certification serves as your signature. 

Power of Attorney (POA) submitting Claim on Behalf of Claimant:  If you are submitting a claim on behalf of a client, please refer to Question 7, above. 

Claimants submitting VA Form 21-530:  If you are filing VA Form 21-530 on behalf of a firm or other unpaid creditor, you must submit the application signature page by the person who authorized services.  Please refer to Question 8 above for information on how to submit the signature page as well as other documentation you may want to submit in support of your claim.

13. What if I filled out the application on screen and printed it out without submitting it electronically?

If you filled out and printed your application but did not submit it electronically, sign the application where required and mail it to the VA as soon as possible.   Be sure the bottom of all application pages contains the automatically generated VONAPP confirmation number as well as your name, and date.  Add your VA File number, if known.  The address for mailing your application is located on your confirmation page. 

If you have questions about filing our your application form, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-827-1000 for assistance.

14. Can I fax my signature to the VA Regional Office? 

Claims for VA education benefits (VA Form 22-1990, 22-1995, 22-5490 and 22-5495):  With the exception of a child not of legal age applying for Dependent's Education Assistance, Chapter 35 benefits, your signature is not required when applying for Education benefits. 

Claims for VA compensation, pension and vocational rehabilitation benefits (VA Form 21-526, 21-686c, 21-4138, and 28-1900):   A signature is not required in most cases when completing these forms.  Prior to final submission of your application in VONAPP, you will be prompted to certify that all information you have entered on your form is accurate.  Your certification serves as your signature.

If you are a Power of Attorney sumbitting a claim on behalf of a client, please refer to Question 7, above.

15. Do I still have to sign and mail in VA Form 21-4142, Authorization and Consent to Release Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (V A)?

Yes. You should read the authorization and consent forms very carefully, sign each one in the appropriate blocks.  Most medical providers require original signatures and many even require that you fill out their consent forms. You can submit VA Form 21-4142(s) as follows:

• Atttach them to your application by uploading to VONAPP.   Use the VA Forms website at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/ to locate VA Form 21-4142 .  After opening the form, you can enter your information and save the document as a .pdf file.  When you have completed for application in VONAPP and you are ready to submit in VONAPP, you will select the Submit Form button in VONAPP and will be prompted to submit attachments to your claim.  For more information about attachments, please see Question 6, above.

• Mail them to the VA Regional Office address shown on the confirmation page you received when you submitted your claim electronically through VONAPP.  Be sure to write your VONAPP confirmation number at the bottom of each page, and contact the RO at 1-800-827-1000 to obtain their fax number.  

• Fax them to the VA Regional Office.  You can fax the Regional Office (RO) VA Form 21-4142(s). Be sure to write your VONAPP confirmation number at the bottom of each page, and contact the RO at 1-800-827-1000 to obtain their fax number.   

16. After I submit my application using VONAPP, how do I know which VA Office will process it?

After you submit your form through VONAPP, you will receive an automatic e-mail notice showing your name, the date of submission, and which VA Office received your form.  You will also receive an automatic e-mail notice telling you when the VA downloaded your VONAPP application.  This e-mail will show when your form was downloaded and which office will be processing your form.

In addition, your VONAPP confirmation page will have the VA Regional Office's name and address where your claim will be processed.  After your form has been submitted, you should contact this office with any questions concerning benefits or your claim. 

17. Is the VONAPP Confirmation Number the same number VA will use to process my application?

No. The VONAPP confirmation number is only used to track your application in VONAPP. When the VA Regional Office starts processing your application, you will be assigned a VA file number. This may be your Social Security number or a VA claim number. Once you learn what your VA file number is, you should always use that number when dealing with VA.  Until that time, your application will be tracked using the VONAPP Confirmation Number.  If you already have a VA file number, be very sure to put that on your form where asked.

18. What if I’m filling out a form in VONAPP and something happens such as a power outage, computer crash, etc., will I lose everything I put in?

No. As you begin filling out an application in VONAPP, your information is automatically saved as you move from screen to screen.  The most you will lose is the information on the screen you were on at the time of the problem. You will be able to reenter VONAPP, select the application you were on, and start working again.

19. You said that there is a lot of information needed on the compensation and pension application; what if I can’t complete it at one time?

You can suspend working on the form and come back to it up to 30 calendar days from the time you suspend it.  This will give you a chance to find or verify information, seek help, etc.

20. If I return to the form and just look at it, will the 30-day suspension start over again?

No. You must make an entry or change on the form. Just viewing your form will not restart the 30-day clock.

21. If I’m working on a form in VONAPP but I want to take a break, can I leave it running?

Yes, but only up to 15 minutes. VONAPP will automatically shut down if it sees no input from you in 15 minutes. Input means that you make or change an entry and then save it by moving on to another screen.

22. Will I get a warning before VONAPP shuts down?

Yes. After 10 minutes of no activity, VONAPP will give you a message warning you of the impending shutdown.

23. If VONAPP automatically shuts down, will I lose everything I entered?

No. You will only lose unsaved information on the last screen you were on.

24. If I need help to fill out any forms, who is available?

Help is available from many sources. For help on compensation, pension, or vocational rehabilitation forms, you can call a V A Regional Office toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.

For help on education forms you can call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

You can seek help from a National, County, or local service organization, an agent or an attorney. From the VONAPP Home Page, click on the "VA Partners" button or "State and County Organizations and Other Help" for detailed information.

25. Will VONAPP check information I put in my application?

Sometimes. VONAPP checks some information you enter while you are on that page. In addition, VONAPP will check again before you can submit your form to us electronically. This presubmission check will require that you correct any errors found and will allow you to change information with warnings attached. You can use the validate button in the upper right hand corner at any time to check the whole form immediately.

26.  What if I submitted my applicaton and forgot to print it out for my records?

After submitting your application using VONAPP, you can view and/or print it.   

From the home page, log into VONAPP.  After logging in, click on the print icon located to the right of the form you have completed.  Your application will then display for you to view or to print.         

27. While I was using VONAPP to fill out a form, I saw that sometimes everything I typed showed only capital letters and sometimes both lower and upper case--why is that?

Answers for some of the questions on the forms always show as capital letters no matter what you do. Others, such as your name, allow all characters and cases. Entries with all capital letters are the easier way to capture information in VONAPP and make no difference in processing your application.

28. Can VONAPP be used worldwide?

No. There are a few countries which do not have a sufficient level of Internet security to allow VONAPP use or which are denied access to U.S. encryption software by the Federal government. The security requirement is called 128-bit encryption. If this is not available to you for any reason, then you will not be able to use VONAPP.

29. My foreign mailing address looks different than U.S. addresses, how do I put it in VONAPP?

VONAPP mailing addresses usually have three different selections: Domestic (United States), Foreign (other than U.S.), and Military Overseas (U.S. military addresses outside of the United States). Use the "Foreign" selection if you live in a country outside of the U.S. Fit your address in as best you can in the boxes you will see when you select the "Foreign" selection so that it can be used by the post office.

30. Can I print out an official VA version of a form?

Yes. Use this link to go to a forms page where you can find and print an official version of the form:

http://www.va.gov/vaforms/

Do not print out a VONAPP form for completion by hand.

31. Can I give VA feedback about my experience using VONAPP or if I have questions about using VONAPP?

Yes. If you have problems using VONAPP, or have suggestions, use our VONAPP mailbox: VONAPP@vba.va.gov