What this means
m21-1:II.ii.3 explains claims jurisdiction and transfer. In plain terms, the official guidance says a claim is generally assigned by the National Work Queue (NWQ) to the geographical area where the Veteran or survivor maintains a permanent address and is generally under the jurisdiction of an office/station known as a regional office (RO). It also addresses the table below indicates what station has jurisdiction of a claim that involves multiple special missions or circumstances.
How this may help with a claim
Use m21-1:II.ii.3 to audit how VA handled claims jurisdiction and transfer. Start with the decision date, the issue being reviewed, and the evidence VA was allowed to consider, then compare the record with this rule: A claim is generally assigned by the National Work Queue (NWQ) to the geographical area where the Veteran or survivor maintains a permanent address and is generally under the jurisdiction of an office/station known as a regional office (RO). The table below indicates what station has jurisdiction of a claim that involves multiple special missions or circumstances. Cite the exact document and page when raising a factual or procedural error, and use the review rights in the actual notice for any deadline.
What to review in your file
- Check the file against this official condition: Jurisdiction of a claim includes jurisdiction of the paper claims folder if one exists, unless instructions state otherwise.
- Confirm that the record or notice addresses this source point: If a station receives a claim that does not fall under their jurisdiction, authorized personnel may transfer the claim to the correct station in accordance with OFO guidelines.
- Document how this stated step or exception applies: Special Mission or Circumstance — Jurisdiction; Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employee-Veteran, relative of employee, or a national service officer — restricted access claims centers (RACCs). Important: The St.
Important limits
m21-1:II.ii.3 explains VA guidance for claims jurisdiction and transfer; it does not guarantee an award or replace the statutes, regulations, binding decisions, and review instructions that control an individual claim. Conditions and exceptions still matter, including this source point: A claim is generally assigned by the National Work Queue (NWQ) to the geographical area where the Veteran or survivor maintains a permanent address and is generally under the jurisdiction of an office/station known as a regional office (RO). All paper claims folders previously stored at the VA Record Center and Vault have been digitized and are available in VBMS.
Search terms when useful
Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.
- Claims Jurisdiction and Transfer
- m21-1:II.ii.3
- Claims Jurisdiction Transfer
- Jurisdiction Claims
- policy jurisdiction claims
- jurisdiction claims involving special
- determining jurisdiction claims involving
- II.ii.3.1.a. Policy Jurisdiction Claims
Original VA guidance
The official VA text of this section
Overview
In This Chapter
This chapter contains the following topics:
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Topic | Topic Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jurisdiction of Claims |
| 2 | Transfer of Paper Claims Folders |
1. Jurisdiction of Claims
Introduction
This topic contains information on jurisdiction of claims, including
- general policy for jurisdiction of claims
- jurisdiction of claims involving a special mission or circumstance, and
- determining jurisdiction of claims involving multiple special missions or circumstances.
Change Date
June 23, 2026
II.ii.3.1.a. General Policy for Jurisdiction of Claims
A claim is generally assigned by the National Work Queue (NWQ) to the geographical area where the Veteran or survivor maintains a permanent address and is generally under the jurisdiction of an office/station known as a regional office (RO). At times the jurisdiction will specifically fall under a pension management center (PMC).
Notes:
- Jurisdiction of a claim includes jurisdiction of the paper claims folder if one exists, unless instructions state otherwise.
- An RO or PMC maintains jurisdiction for folders stored at the Federal Archives and Records Center.
- Generally, a PMC will handle claims involving
- pension benefits
- claims for survivors benefits, and
- accrued benefits.
References: For more information on,
- office locations, see the Facilities Locator and Leadership Directory
- geographical alignment of ROs and PMCs, see M21-1, Part I, Subpart ii, 1.B.2.b, and
- jurisdiction of requests for higher-level review, see M21-5, Chapter 5, Topic 1.d.
II.ii.3.1.b. Jurisdiction of Claims Involving a Special Mission or Circumstance
NWQ will distribute claims involving a special mission or circumstance according to jurisdiction and ranking rules determined by the Office of Field Operations (OFO). Proper routing may require the use of special issue indicators and corporate flashes.
If a station receives a claim that does not fall under their jurisdiction, authorized personnel may transfer the claim to the correct station in accordance with OFO guidelines.
The table below indicates what station has jurisdiction of a claim that involves a special mission or circumstance.
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Special Mission or Circumstance | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employee-Veteran, relative of employee, or a national service officer | restricted access claims centers (RACCs). Important: The St. Paul RACC has jurisdiction for all claims for Medal of Honor Pension (MOHP), and MOHP for a surviving spouse. Claims processors must ensure the following corporate flashes have been affixed to the record to ensure proper routing: Restricted Access – St. Paul RACC, and Medal of Honor. Reference: For more information on RACCs, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 2.B. |
| live compensation claims and legacy appeals involving a foreign residence residence in enemy territory, and cases involving an Army Post Office or a Fleet Post Office address | Pittsburgh RO has jurisdiction of rating and non-rating claims unless otherwise indicated. Notes: Jurisdiction is determined according to the Veteran’s residence, not the residence of a dependent. A transient is not considered to be residing in a foreign country. Exceptions: When a Veteran files a claim for Chapter 18 benefits and the child lives in a foreign territory, the claim will be worked by the Pittsburgh RO. Manila RO has jurisdiction of rating claims for the Philippines. San Diego Benefit Eligibility Support Team (BEST) has jurisdiction of non-rating claims for the Philippines. Reference: For more information on foreign residence, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 3.B. |
| live compensation claims and legacy appeals involving residence in a U.S. Territory | Jurisdiction for U.S. Territory compensation claims and legacy appeals is as follows: Honolulu RO has jurisdiction for American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands (Rota, Saipan and Tinian), and San Juan RO has jurisdiction for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. |
| all in-service death claims | Philadelphia RO Notes: The Philadelphia Veterans Service Center (VSC) has sole jurisdiction over all original in-service death claims, to include in-service death claims received from multiple claimants prior to the adjudication of the original claim. The Philadelphia PMC has jurisdiction over all non-original in-service death claims received after the adjudication of the original claim. Reference: For more information on in-service death claims, see M21-1, Part XII, Subpart i, 1.C. |
| pension and survivor claims in which the primary beneficiary or claimant resides in a foreign country, or any payee whose income affects entitlement to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, receives the income in a foreign currency | The Philadelphia PMC has jurisdiction of original Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims, all burial claims, and any claim where service-connected (SC) death is an issue including claims from the Philippines. The St. Paul PMC shares jurisdiction of all other foreign countries with the Milwaukee PMC to include pension and DIC claims where SC death was already granted with the exception of claims from the Philippines. The Milwaukee PMC has jurisdiction of all remaining claims from the Philippines that do not meet the criteria for the Philadelphia PMC. References: For more information on PMC jurisdiction of non-foreign residence claims or specific jurisdiction of claim type, see M21-1, Part I, Subpart ii, 1.B.2.b, and eligibility for benefits based on Philippine service, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 4.A.2. |
| higher-level reviews and legacy appeals for pension and survivor claims | decision review operations center |
| rating action related to Polish and Czechoslovakian Veterans who file a claim for service connection (SC), or apply for health care under 38 U.S.C. 109 | Wilmington RO Exception: A claim from a Polish or Czechoslovakian Veteran with no service in the U.S. Armed Forces should be denied for no qualifying service by the RO that receives the claim. Note: VA does not assign a folder or number to these claims. Reference: For more information on Polish and Czechoslovakian Veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, see M21-1, Part XIII, Subpart i, 3.G.1.b. |
| claims involving Public Law (PL) 97-37, Section 156, Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors (REPS) | Jurisdiction is split between the various ROs or PMCs, and a special processing unit at the St. Louis RO. Note: The office having jurisdiction of the deceased Veteran’s claims folder is responsible for determining basic eligibility and forwarding the claim (but not the deceased Veteran’s claims folder) to the St. Louis RO. Reference: For more information on jurisdiction of claims involving REPS, see M21-1, Part XII, Subpart ii, 3.A. |
| Philippine cases involving Veterans of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines while such forces were in the Armed Forces of the U.S. (July 26, 1941, through June 30, 1946) Special Philippine Scouts (enlisted between October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947), and Alleged or Recognized Guerrilla Service (before July 1, 1946) | Manila RO has exclusive and permanent jurisdiction unless otherwise indicated. Exceptions: The Philadelphia PMC has jurisdiction of original DIC claims, all burial claims, and claims where SC death is an issue. The Milwaukee PMC has jurisdiction of all remaining PMC claims (to include claims for DIC where SC death was already granted) based on service by Veterans within the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines. The San Diego BEST has jurisdiction of non-rating compensation claims. Reference: For more information on eligibility for benefits based on Philippine service, M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 4.A.2. |
| cases involving incompetent Veterans | If a court has appointed a fiduciary for an incompetent Veteran, jurisdiction lies with the RO or PMC for the area in which the appointing court is located. |
| claims for SC based on radiation exposure where the existence of a radiogenic disease has been verified | Jackson RO References: For more information on how the Jackson RO receives jurisdiction of a radiation claim, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 4.A.2.a, and radiation claims processing, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 4.A.2, and M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 4.B.2. |
| claims and legacy appeals for SC based on exposure to mustard gas or Lewisite | Muskogee RO Reference: For more information on claims for SC based on exposure to mustard gas or Lewisite, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 3.A.2. |
| claims and legacy appeals for SC based on exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune that meet specific criteria | Louisville RO Reference: For more information on the criteria determining jurisdiction of Camp Lejeune issues, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 8.A.1.c. |
| forfeiture cases | St. Paul RACC Reference: For more information about forfeiture cases, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart iv, 3.B, and 38 CFR 3.900. |
| residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, or St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. | Roanoke RO Reference: For more information on claims from residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home or St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., see M21-1, Part VI, Subpart iii, 5. |
| Veterans with any service prior to July 16, 1903 | Philadelphia PMC |
| entitlement to compensation under the former general law, the Act of 1862, as amended protection of the general law rate provided by former PL 788, 74th Congress entitlement to Reserve Officer’ Retirement Pay under PL 262, 77th Congress, and entitlement under a special act of Congress authorizing payment to a particular person | Philadelphia PMC References: For more information on general law cases, see 38 U.S.C. 1152, and entitlement under a special act, see 38 CFR 3.801 38 CFR 10.20, and 38 CFR 11.109. |
| Chapter 31 educational benefits based on service in allied forces | Philadelphia PMC |
| Chapter 18 benefits for certain children with disabilities born of Vietnam and certain Korean service Veterans | Denver RO Exception: When a Veteran files a claim for Chapter 18 benefits and the child lives in a foreign territory, the claim will be worked by the Pittsburgh RO. Reference: For more information on handling of claims for benefits under Chapter 18, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart i, 3.A - E. |
Notes:
- Do not transfer a paper claims folder to a special mission station unless
- a special mission claim has been established, or
- instructions indicate the special mission station must maintain the folder.
- Claims and/or claimants involving litigated issues may be subject to special review or processing. Special instructions for identification and processing identified cases will be issued by VA Central Office (VACO) and may involve use of special issue indicators, corporate flashes, or other claim attributes.
References: For more information on
- claim attributes that affect routing, see M21-4, Appendix C
- use of corporate flashes, see
- M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.F.1.b, and
- M21-4, Appendix C.2
- special issue indicators, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.F.2, and
- transferring a claim, see the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) Core User Guide.
II.ii.3.1.c. Determining Jurisdiction of Claims Involving Multiple Special Missions or Circumstances
The table below indicates what station has jurisdiction of a claim that involves multiple special missions or circumstances.
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Special Mission(s) or Circumstances | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Integrated Disability Evaluation System, along with any other special mission | Providence RO, and Seattle RO Exception: A RACC claim from an employee of the Providence RO would be handled by the Seattle RO and vice versa. |
| Benefits Delivery at Discharge, along with any other special mission | The special mission RO. |
| C-123 aircraft, along with one of the following special missions: mustard gas radiation Camp Lejeune, or VACO Special Issue 2 | St. Paul RO |
| Camp Lejeune, along with VACO Special Issue 2 | Louisville RO |
| foreign, along with one of the following special missions: C-123 aircraft mustard gas radiation Camp Lejeune, or VACO Special Issue 2 | Pittsburgh RO |
| mustard gas, along with one of the following special missions: radiation Camp Lejeune, or VACO Special Issue 2 | Muskogee RO |
| radiation, along with one of the following special missions: Camp Lejeune, or VACO Special Issue 2 | Jackson RO |
| Manila jurisdiction, along with any other special mission | The special mission RO. If translation or fraud issues need to be addressed, the special mission station will contact NWQ to have the claim transferred. |
| San Juan jurisdiction, along with any other special mission | The special mission RO. If translation is needed, the special mission station will contact NWQ to have the claim transferred. |
| RACC, along with foreign | RACC |
| RACC, along with Camp Lejeune | RACC Exception: A claim from an employee of the St. Paul RACC would be handled by the Louisville RO. |
| RACC, along with one of the following special missions: C-123 aircraft, or VACO Special Issue 2 | RACC Exception: A claim from an employee of the St. Paul RACC would be handled by the Milwaukee RO. |
| RACC, along with one of and the following special missions: mustard gas, or radiation | The special mission RO. Exception: A claim from an employee at the special mission RO would be handled by the RACC. |
| In-service death, along with any other special mission | Philadelphia RO Notes: The Philadelphia VSC has sole jurisdiction over all original in-service death claims to include in-service death claims received from multiple claimants prior to the adjudication of the original claim. The Philadelphia PMC has jurisdiction over all non-original in-service death claims received after the adjudication of the original claim. |
Reference: For more information on RACCs, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 2.B.
2. Transfer of Paper Claims Folders
Introduction
This topic contains information about the general policies for the transfer of paper claims folders, including
- general restriction on transfers of paper claims folders
- Federal records center (FRC) facility codes for folder requests
- requesting transfer of paper claims folders from an FRC, and
- following up on requests from an FRC.
Change Date
June 23, 2026
II.ii.3.2.a. General Restriction on Transfers of Paper Claims Folders
VA has transitioned to an electronic claims processing environment and with the exception of some restricted access records, no longer maintains paper claims folders. When an RO requests a paper claims folders that is stored at a Federal records center (FRC), the claims folder will be sent to the scanning facility for digitization.
Paper claims folders should not be sent to any location other than an authorized scanning facility, unless otherwise directed by OFO.
Exception: RACCs are authorized to receive and maintain paper claims folders from an FRC if the file
- has been designated as a restricted record, and
- is not eligible for digitization.
Note: All paper claims folders previously stored at the VA Record Center and Vault have been digitized and are available in VBMS.
References: For more information on historical rules for the
- permanent transfer of paper claims folders, see the attachments
- Historical_M21-1III_ii_5_SecD_2-19-19.docx, and
- Historical_M21-1III_ii_5_SecE_2-19-19.docx, and
- temporary transfer of paper claims folders, see the attachment Historical_M21-1III_ii_5_SecF_1-14-18.docx.
II.ii.3.2.b. FRC Facility Codes for Folder Requests
The FRC station code is shown on the BIRLS FOLDER LOCATION tab in Share. The table below contains FRC location codes and which specific location to send the folder request to.
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| FRC Station Code | Location | Transfer Date | Folder Request Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 010 | Boston | not applicable (N/A) | 010 Boston |
| 011 | Pittsfield | N/A | 011 Pittsfield |
| 020 | Bayonne | ALL | 059 Lee's Summit |
| 021 | Philadelphia | 1954 – 1985 | 059 Lee's Summit |
| 030 | Washington National Records Center | 1952 | These records are no longer owned by VA. To request a copy of a record at this location, contact William Seibert (314) 801-0909 william.siebert@nara.gov. |
| 030 | Washington National Records Center | February - July 1955 | |
| 030 | Washington National Records Center | 1962 – 1978 | 060 Lenexa |
| 040 | Atlanta | 1973 & Prior | 060 Lenexa |
| 040 | Atlanta | 1974 - 1994 (from ROs 317, 318, 322) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 040 | Atlanta | 1974 - 1994 (from ROs 316, 319, 320, 323, 327) | 060 Lenexa (exceptions noted in next two rows) |
| 040 | Atlanta | 1986 from RO 316 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 040 | Atlanta | 1993 from RO 323 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 050 | Chicago | Prior to 1973 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 051 | Dayton | N/A | 051 Dayton |
| 052 | Kingsridge | N/A | 052 Kingsridge |
| 059 | Lee’s Summit | N/A | 059 Lee’s Summit |
| 060 | Lenexa (previously Kansas City) | Prior to 1973 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 061 | St. Louis National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) | 1956 - 1959 (from ROs 335, 339) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 061 | St. Louis NPRC | 1959 - 1966 (from RO 376) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 061 | St. Louis NPRC | 1960 - 1969 (from ROs 335, 339, 340, 341, 345, 442) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 061 | St. Louis NPRC | 1967 - 1973 (from RO 331) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 061 | St. Louis NPRC | 1970 - 1974 (from ROs 339, 340, 341, 345, 436, 437, 438, 442) | 011 Pittsfield |
| 070 | Ft. Worth | Prior to 1977 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 070 | Ft. Worth | 1977 - 1993 | 059 Lee's Summit |
| 080 | Denver | ALL | 059 Lee's Summit |
| 090 | San Francisco/San Bruno | N/A | 090 San Francisco/San Bruno |
| 091 | Laguna Niguel (previously Perris) | Prior to 1967 | 011 Pittsfield |
| 091 | Laguna Niguel | 1968 – 1992 | 059 Lee’s Summit |
| 100 | Seattle | N/A | 100 Seattle |
Note: FRCs 020, 070, and 080 are no longer active repositories.
Reference: For more information about FRCs, see Federal Records Center Locations.
II.ii.3.2.c. Requesting Transfer of Paper Claims Folders From an FRC
Requests for transfer of a paper claims folder from an FRC are submitted through the National Archives and Records Administration’s Archives and Records Centers Information System (ARCIS). ARCIS key users must follow the steps below to request the transfer of a paper claims folder:
- navigate to the Folder Location screen in VBMS and click on the claims folder to display the FARC Accession number
- log into ARCIS and initiate a request for the claims folder
- create the Physical Claims File Requested tracked item, and
- upload a copy of the request into the corresponding electronic claims folder (eFolder).
Notes:
- The FRC usually delivers the claims folder to the scanning vendor within 10 business days.
- ARCIS access is limited to key users who have been trained by the Office of Mission Support through mandatory and refresher training.
Reference: For information on how to use ARCIS, to include log-in and passwords, see the ARCIS website.
II.ii.3.2.d. Following up on Requests From an FRC
If the folder is not received within 10 business days of the original ARCIS request, key users must follow up on the request via email to the ARCIS mailbox and take the following actions
- in the email include
- the VBA district (e.g., Northeast District) in the SUBJECT line, and
- the Veteran’s name and file number in the body, and
- document the action by uploading a copy of the sent mail to the eFolder.
Important: Remember to update the Physical Claims File Requested tracked item to reflect the follow-up.
Reference: For contact information, see Federal Records Center Locations.