VA final review often moves within 7–30 days, but complex claims can take longer based on evidence and quality checks.
If your claim status shows the last pass before a decision, you’re close. This guide explains what that stage means, what affects timing, and how you can keep things moving without hiccups. You’ll see clear steps, plain language, and realistic time ranges drawn from the official process the agency describes.
What “Final Review” Really Means
Inside the system, the last pass is where a rater or quality reviewer confirms the draft rating, checks required notices, and sets up the letter you’ll get. On VA’s site, nearby labels include “Preparation for Decision,” “Pending Decision Approval,” “Preparation for Notification,” and finally “Complete.” The wording you see in the portal can vary, but the idea is the same: evidence is in, a draft rating exists, and the office is finishing checks and sign-offs before sending your packet.
Claim Stages At A Glance (And What You Can Do)
Here’s a quick reference that matches the common labels in the portal with their plain meaning and the best action you can take at each point.
| Stage Label | What It Means | Your Smart Move |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewing Evidence | VA gathers and reads records; exams may be ordered. | Respond to requests fast; upload clean, legible files. |
| Preparation For Decision | Rater weighs evidence and drafts a rating. | Hold new uploads unless asked; late items can reset steps. |
| Pending Decision Approval | Quality check and sign-off of the draft rating. | Track status; make sure your address and bank info are current. |
| Preparation For Notification | Decision letter and code sheets are queued. | Watch for mail or portal updates; set text/email alerts. |
| Complete | Decision is issued; payments and retro start if granted. | Read the letter fully; note dates and the appeal window. |
How Long The Last Pass Usually Takes
Once a draft rating exists, many files leave the approval step in one to four weeks. Some finish in a few days when staffing and workload line up; others sit longer when a supervisor queue builds or a final check flags a missing document. The agency publishes the overall average for original disability claims in days, not a fixed clock for the last pass only, so treat any exact day count you hear from peers as a rough snapshot, not a promise.
As a yardstick for the whole claim, VA’s public page on what happens after filing includes the current average processing time for disability claims and explains each step of the path. You can read that overview here: the claim process after filing.
Why Files Linger In The Last Step
Four things slow the finish line more than anything else.
Quality Review Queue
Many draft ratings get a second set of eyes. If the station is backlogged, the sign-off waits its turn. Holidays and end-of-month pushes can stretch this queue.
Mandatory Letter Text
Letters must match the rating and cite the right rules. A mismatch or a missing sentence sends the file back to the drafter for a tweak, then forward again.
Late Evidence Hits
Uploading new records while a rating sits in approval can kick the claim back to an earlier step. If you forgot a file, ask a Veteran Service Officer about the cleanest way to submit without stalling your current lane.
System And Staffing Factors
Short staffing, system outages, and training days all slow outbound mail and portal updates. Two claims with the same facts can move at different speeds in different offices.
VA Decision Approval Timing Guide
This section rounds up practical steps that keep your claim from looping back or sitting in limbo, along with time ranges many claimants report during the approval and notification steps. Use them as guardrails, not a stopwatch.
Practical Ways To Keep Momentum
- Set alerts in the portal. Text or email notices help you react to requests in hours, not days.
- Check payment details now. Wrong routing numbers delay deposits even when the rating is ready.
- Keep contact info current. Returned mail triggers follow-up work and adds days.
- Skip new uploads unless asked. New files can send your claim back to evidence review.
- Work with a VSO. A trained rep can see issues fast and help you avoid missteps.
Average Clocks And Real-World Ranges
For the overall claim, VA shares a national average measured in days. That average changes with volume and policy updates. The last pass is a slice of that total, and it breathes with the same workload tides. To set expectations, here are common windows people report for the last three steps, plus what tends to change them. Your case can land outside these windows and still be normal.
| Late Step | Typical Window | What Often Moves It |
|---|---|---|
| Pending Decision Approval | 7–30 days | Supervisor queue depth; quality flags; station workload |
| Preparation For Notification | 3–14 days | Letter generation backlog; mail cycle; portal sync |
| Complete (Decision Issued) | Same day to 7 days | Payment file handoff; federal holidays; banking cutoffs |
How To Read Your Status Page Like A Pro
The agency uses consistent labels and tooltips to explain each step. The page titled what your claim status means decodes the wording you’ll see. Match your current line to the definitions there, then decide if you need to act or simply let the queue run.
Green Lights
If the page shows approval or notification, you can expect movement soon. Watch for a letter in the portal’s documents tab and in the mail.
Yellow Lights
If a new evidence request appears, follow the instructions in that message. Upload only the documents the message lists, and keep naming clean: label files by type and date so a rater can scan them quickly.
Red Flags
Repeated swings back to evidence review without a new request can point to hard-to-locate records. A VSO can nudge a records office or suggest alternate sources, like private treatment notes or lay statements.
Appeal Lanes And How They Affect Timing
Not every reader will need this section today, but it helps to know your options if the letter doesn’t match the facts. One path sends your case to a senior rater for a fresh pass without new evidence. Another lets you add new and relevant records. There’s also a route to a judge at the Board. The agency lists target windows for each lane on its decision review pages.
One-Rater Reread (Higher-Level Review)
This path asks a senior rater to look again based on the same record. Many offices aim to finish this lane in about four months, but local workload drives the real-world pace.
New Evidence Lane (Supplemental Claim)
This route adds documents that weren’t reviewed the first time. If filed within a year of the prior decision and granted, it can preserve your original effective date and retro.
What To Do While You Wait
Waiting is hard. Use this time to prep for either outcome and shorten any next steps.
Prep For A Grant
- Scan the combined rating chart and estimate your payment band so the deposit doesn’t surprise you.
- List any dependents who might need to be added in the portal to update your rate.
- Set calendar reminders to check for the letter and confirm your deposit.
Prep For A Mixed Result
- Gather missing records you couldn’t locate earlier, like private doctor notes.
- Draft a short outline of points you’ll raise if you ask for a reread by a senior rater.
- If you plan to add new documents, request them now so you can file fast.
My Claim Seems Stuck — What Now?
Long stalls happen. Here’s a simple ladder to climb before you panic.
Step 1: Confirm The Label
Open your status page and match the wording to the definitions on the agency’s help page linked above. Some jumps in wording are normal and don’t mean anyone lost your file.
Step 2: Check For Requests
Open every message thread. A missing file request pauses movement, and the clock restarts only after the upload posts.
Step 3: Call Or Message The Station
Ask a simple question: is my file in a quality queue, approval queue, or mail queue? A short note from the office can calm nerves and set expectations.
Step 4: Ask A VSO To Peek
A VSO often has internal contacts and can spot issues in minutes, like a wrong address or a split claim that needs merging.
What A Finished Decision Looks Like
When the decision posts, your portal will show a letter and a rating code sheet. The letter explains which contentions were granted or denied, the rating percentages, the effective date, and appeal rights. The code sheet lists the diagnostic codes and dates used to build your combined rating. Keep both in a safe folder; you’ll need them if you change lanes later.
Plain Answers To Common Timing Questions
“Can The Last Pass Finish In A Day?”
Yes. Short queues and clean letters can move that fast. It isn’t common, but it happens.
“Mine Sat Two Months — Is That Normal?”
It can be. Deep quality queues or a rewrite can stretch the window. If the portal shows movement among the last three labels, your file is alive.
“Will Calling Speed It Up?”
Calls don’t leapfrog others, but they can uncover a missed request or a bad address, which gets you unstuck.
Takeaways You Can Use Today
- That last pass often lands in 7–30 days, with outliers on both ends.
- Late uploads and quality rewrites are the common stall points.
- Use the official status definitions to read your page with confidence.
- If you disagree with the letter, pick the lane that fits your needs and file inside the one-year window.