Here’s How to Use VA’s New Claim Assist Portal

One of the most frustrating parts of the VA disability claims process has always been what happens when VA needs more information. The request arrives by mail. You respond by mail. The claim sits while the paper moves.

The VA has now built a direct digital alternative, and if you have a pending claim, it is worth knowing about before the next request lands in your mailbox.

The Claim Assist Portal, launched in March 2026, gives veterans a secure online way to respond when VA asks for additional evidence, documentation or clarification on a disability claim. Instead of printing, signing and mailing a response — then waiting for it to arrive and be processed — veterans can log in, respond to the request, and submit everything digitally. The portal is built into the VA: Health and Benefits mobile app and accessible through VA.gov.

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How the VA Claim Assist Portal Works

How to use the Claim Assist Portal:

• Step 1: Watch for a notification. VA sends an email and SMS text to the contact information on file when they need more information on your claim. Messages come from [email protected], a verified VA Notify address.
• Step 2: Open the portal. Click the link in the notification or log in through the VA: Health and Benefits app or VA.gov.
• Step 3: Log in securely. Use your existing ID.me, Login.gov, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet credentials.
• Step 4: Respond to the request. Follow the steps in the portal to submit your response, upload documents, or provide the information VA has requested.
• Step 5: Continue using mail if preferred. The portal is an option, not a requirement. You can still respond by mail, but the portal is faster.

Why the VA Claim Assist Portal Matters

The disability claims process requires back-and-forth communication between veterans and VA at multiple points. Requests for additional evidence, called development letters, are common: VA may ask for military records, medical documentation, buddy statements or clarification on a claimed condition. Each exchange by mail adds days or weeks to a claim that may already be moving slowly.

The average time to complete a VA disability claim has fallen from 141.5 days to 80.7 days since the start of the current administration, a 43 percent reduction. Faster digital response tools are part of how the VA is sustaining that improvement. Responding through the portal moves the claim forward without waiting for mail to arrive and be manually processed.

Read More: These Are the Wait Times for VA Claim, Benefits Processing in 2026

One practical note worth flagging: The Claim Assist Portal app is a feature within the VA: Health and Benefits mobile app rather than a separate standalone application. Veterans who searched app stores for it by name found it did not appear as an independent app. Download or update the VA: Health and Benefits app, log in with your VA credentials, and the claims section will surface the portal when an active request is waiting for your response.

Alongside the portal launch, VA has updated its Claim Status Tool at VA.gov to show a more detailed breakdown of the eight-step disability claims process. Veterans can now see exactly where their claim sits in the process, which step is currently active, and what comes next — rather than seeing a general status with limited detail. Both tools are accessible through VA.gov and the VA: Health and Benefits app with any standard VA login credential.

Veterans with questions about using either tool can contact VA at 800-827-1000 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; or submit questions through Ask VA at ask.va.gov.