US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Benefits Hotline

Phone Number & Getting a Rep

US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Benefits Hotline number

800-827-1000
Toll-free·Calls Benefits Hotline·See main phone number & contact info
Q:

How do I talk to a human at this US Dept. of Veterans Affairs number?

A:Press 1, then 0, then 4, then 2
Q:

Does this phone number work 24/7?

A:No. Hours for this phone number are Mon-Fri 8am-9pm EST. The least busy day is Thursday, and the most busy day is Tuesday. See below for more and to learn where this data comes from.
Q:

How long will I have to wait to speak to US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Benefits Hotline?

A:The average hold time is 89 minutes. The longest hold times are on Tuesday, and the shortest are on Monday.

All US Dept. of Veterans Affairs customer service contact information

This is the #2 most popular US Dept. of Veterans Affairs phone number out of 6. Click above to go back to the main customer service number and other contact information, including US Dept. of Veterans Affairs email addresses, twitter handles, and live chat options.

More US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Customer Phone Numbers

Main Information Line

800-698-2411
Main phone number · Toll-free · 24 hours, 7 days · Direct to a human · If you are having thoughts of suicide, press 7. Homeless helpline, press 6. Pack Act main menu, press 8.

Debt Management

800-827-0648
Toll-free · Mon-Fri 6:30am-6pm CST · Call this number for the Debt Management department · Debt Management Center - If you are having thoughts of suicide, press 7. Self-help options, press 9. Credit card or HCH payment, press 1. Education debt, press 2. Pension debt, press 3. Military debt, press 4. Disaster relief, press 5.

GI Bill Hotline

888-442-4551
Toll-free · Mon-Fri 8am-7pm EST · Direct to a human · Education helpline - If you are having thoughts of suicide, press 7 now. Montgomery GI Bill verifying your attendance, visit our website or press 1. Direct deposit, automated payment history system, press 2. Debt Management Center, press 3. Spouse or dependent of a VA who died on 911, press 5.

Health Benefits Hotline

877-222-8387
Toll-free · Mon-Fri 8am-8pm EST · Direct to a human · Enrollment in VA healthcare, press 1. Billing, collections, or insurance, press 2. Benefits administration, press 3. For any other questions, press 0 for the operator.

My HealtheVet Help Desk

877-327-0022
Toll-free · Mon-Fri 8am-8pm EST · Direct to a human · Please hold for the next help desk representative.

How do I get through the phone menu to a real live person?

GetHuman researchers routinely call this US Dept. of Veterans Affairs phone number to document the phone system.
Here is our latest tip for weaving through the phone menu to get to a real person the fastest: Press 1, then 0, then 4, then 2
Here is how our research team describes the way the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs phone system greets you: Check the status of the claim, press 8.

What are the hours and when should I call?

US Dept. of Veterans Affairs operates the call center for this 800-827-1000 phone number Mon-Fri 8am-9pm ET. The short answer is that you should call on a Thursday. This observation and the following section are based on analysis of a sample set of 879 calls made in the last 90 days using our free, web-based phone (see above).
An important note: busy times vs hold times vs best time to call
When we refer to busy or less busy times, we are talking about the volume of calls. The busiest times are when the most people are calling this US Dept. of Veterans Affairs phone number (least busy times have fewer people calling). This high call volume does not necessarily mean that you will have a long hold time when you call. Companies like US Dept. of Veterans Affairs staff their call centers differently based on the time of day and day of the week, so you may experience a shorter wait on hold at the busiest of times. When we refer to the best time to call, we are referring to the optimal combination of lower call volume and shorter wait times.

The least busy time to call

The least busy day to call US Dept. of Veterans Affairs is Thursday. The most busy day to call is Tuesday. Again, this is based on a sample of 879 calls made with our AI-powered, web-based phone in the last 90 days.

The shortest wait on hold

We measured the shortest hold times to be on Monday. The longest wait in the queue on average occurs on Tuesday.

The best time to call

In summation, the best day to call US Dept. of Veterans Affairs is Thursday. This is not the day with the shortest wait on hold in the phone system, but we still recommend it for its ideal combination of low call volume and short hold times. Plus we believe that US Dept. of Veterans Affairs staffs the call center well on Thursday.

Calling this US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Customer Number

Adam Goldkamp is the editor / author responsible for this content.
Nov 28, 2023

Obtaining information about benefits is a primary reason a Veteran or their family might call 800-827-1000, one of the Department of Veterans Affairs customer service numbers. Understanding how to get a VA loan eligibility certificate is essential for Veterans because they can buy a house with a zero down payment. I wanted to know more about this option, so I called the number to see what I could learn.

An automated voice response system thanked me for calling and advised me to press 7 to be connected to a service line if I had thoughts of suicide. The voice explained that there is help for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange or toxic substances and that I could get information about that program or file a claim by pressing 8.

The voice told me I could use the self-service option to hear the most recent payment information by pressing 1, or I could hold for more options. It also told me I could get information in Spanish by pressing 2.

Next, the system offered a menu where I could press 1 to learn about claims or appeal status. It provided other options, including numbers to select for direct deposit or change of address, forms or letter requests, disability compensation, burial assistance or to report a death and benefits. I pressed the number 6, which took me to another menu where I could select the loan guarantee program.

An automated voice thanked me for contacting that program and said the menu options had changed. For information regarding certificate eligibility, I had to press 1. The voice explained that callers could not ask for a certificate of eligibility over the phone but said that a lender could request it on a Veteran’s behalf.

The system said Veterans could work with lenders who would complete the process without VA intervention. It also said lenders complete 99% of requests within three business days and that applicants should allow that time before calling a VA staff member.  

The system then connected me with “the next available agent,” who identified herself. I asked her if Veterans, including former reservists, could qualify for a VA loan for housing, and she explained that the reservist needed to have six creditable years of service. She also shared that I could call the same number to inquire about other benefits by calling the same customer service number and following the menu prompt for benefits.

Overall, calling this customer service number was a good experience. I did not find the menus too burdensome, and at the outset of the call, the system offered helpful information for Veterans who may be experiencing a crisis such as suicidal thoughts.

Although I prefer speaking to a human, I liked how I could get detailed information about the certificate of eligibility for a loan. I also appreciate how the system connected me with a friendly and professional customer service representative who provided information specific to my question about benefits in addition to housing loans.

Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.

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