VA timelines have two different meanings. A legal deadline is a window that can affect an effective date or your right to review a decision. A processing time is how long an agency may take to work a claim; it can change with workload and does not guarantee a result. Track both, but never treat an estimated processing time as permission to miss a filing deadline.
Filing and effective-date windows
- Intent to File (ITF): An ITF generally gives you one year to submit the completed claim. If the completed claim is timely and the requirements are met, VA may use the ITF date for the effective date. An ITF is not a substitute for the application. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.155 and Chapter 9: Effective Dates.
- Separation from service: A disability claim filed within one year after separation may qualify for an effective date tied to the day after separation when the applicable service-connection requirements are met. This is not an automatic grant; verify the rule for your type of service and claim.
- AMA continuous pursuit: After a decision, a Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, or Board appeal filed within one year generally preserves continuous pursuit of the issue. A Supplemental Claim filed later may still be allowed, but an earlier effective date is not automatically preserved. Read the decision notice and 38 C.F.R. § 3.2500.
Use the date on VA's notice letter, not the date you happened to open it online. Keep proof of submission and check that VA received the correct form for the correct issue.
Board and Court windows
- Board Direct Review docket: No new evidence is submitted for Board consideration after the appeal is filed. Choose this only when the existing record and legal argument are enough.
- Board Evidence Submission docket: The Board's evidence-submission window is generally 90 days after the Board receives the Notice of Disagreement. Confirm the current notice and docket rules before relying on that period.
- Board Hearing docket: Evidence may generally be submitted at the hearing or within 90 days after the hearing. A hearing request changes scheduling and evidence timing; do not assume it is the fastest docket.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC): A Notice of Appeal is generally due within 120 days after the date the Board decision is mailed. The controlling statute is 38 U.S.C. § 7266. Court rules and special circumstances matter, so obtain qualified help promptly.
See Chapter 16: Appeal Options and the Board appeal page for current docket instructions.
Reductions and family deadlines
- Proposed reduction: When the notice provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.105(e) apply, VA generally gives 60 days to submit evidence showing the payment should continue. You generally have 30 days to request a predetermination hearing. Read the proposal carefully; the exact rule and exceptions matter.
- Substitution and accrued benefits after death: A person eligible to substitute generally must request substitution within one year after the claimant's death under 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010. An accrued-benefits application generally must also be filed within one year under 38 C.F.R. § 3.1000. These are related but distinct paths; use the correct form and ask VA whether substitution is available before filing duplicates.
- Dependents: Submit marriage, birth, adoption, divorce, or school-status information promptly. For some dependency awards, filing within one year of the qualifying event or VA's qualifying-rating notice can affect the effective date under 38 C.F.R. § 3.401. The exact event and benefit control.
Processing-time links
Do not publish a fixed “four-to-six-month” promise. Use VA's live claim and appeal status page and What happens after you file a claim for current status, exam steps, and agency guidance. Board and review lanes can have separate workloads. A request for a C-file or records may take longer than a claim and should not stop you from filing a timely review.