About AccessVA
AccessVA gives you a single login option for many VA websites and online applications. You can learn more about our Sign-In Partners, AccessVA enabled websites, or see the FAQ below for additional information.
Secure – Our login partners meet standards and mandates set by the government.
Safe – Your personal and/or health information will not be shared with the login partners.
Convenient – You pick your sign-in partner.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is AccessVA?
AccessVA improves online interaction with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Veterans, family members, service members, and business partners by providing a single entry point for access to many VA websites and online applications. AccessVA enables VA websites and online applications to accept a growing number of federal and commercially issued credentials (which meet US Government standards), without the need to create and manage multiple VA website specific credentials.
Increased Convenience and Options
- In the past, VA website or online applications required users to provide a username and password for use only on that site. This forced users to maintain many different usernames and passwords for multiple VA websites.
- AccessVA allows users to login with Sign-In Partners they may already have such as DS Logon, CAC Card, VA PIV, and more.
- Users who do not have one of the Sign-In Partners can register once and gain access to many VA websites, instead of registering for each website individually.
- As AccessVA grows, users will have access to even more VA websites. It will also be able to accept more credentials allowing users to choose which is most convenient for them.
What's in it for our Veterans?
The Department of Veterans Affairs exists to serve our Veterans. Veterans will realize substantial benefits by using AccessVA for online transactions including:
- Secure and Easy Identity Validations - AccessVA provides a single identification credential and logon process that Veterans can use for a number of federal information systems across participating agencies. Once an account is established, the Veteran will be spared the burden of having to keep track of multiple sets of identification credentials.
- Reduces the Wait for Service and Increases Public Trust - AccessVA provides improved customer service by enabling a more streamlined record keeping system that allows responsive and timely service for the Veteran while increasing the public's confidence in online business transactions with the Federal Government by preventing potential fraud.
- Saves Taxpayer Dollars - AccessVA promotes efficiencies and cost savings by establishing a unified authentication system that can be interoperable among various agencies that service our Veterans and citizens. By adopting a single system, we save taxpayer dollars.
What does AccessVA do?
In the past, each web site or application you visited wanted to provide you with a username and password for use on that system only. This forced you to keep up with many different usernames and passwords for different web sites. In AccessVA, a username and password that is issued to you (one example of an online credential) will be used at multiple participating VA applications. As the AccessVA sign-in service grows, so will the number of VA applications that will accept your credential. One of the main goals is to simplify the process for users to do business with the VA online.
Do I need to be a Veteran to use AccessVA?
You do not need to be a Veteran to use AccessVA. AccessVA is intended for Veterans, family members, services members, and VA business partners. Each AccessVA enabled website offers different services and may have different access requirements. If any additional requirements are required to access an AccessVA enabled website additional information will be made available on that website.
Some AccessVA Sign-In Partners also have requirements. For example, at the current time you need to be a Veteran, Service Member or eligible dependent to acquire AccessVA's most popular credential, DS Logon. Furthermore, you need to be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Most Veterans are already enrolled in this system, spouses and dependents are also often enrolled. The type of VA application you are attempting to sign-in to will determine whether or not one of the AccessVA credential providers available to non-Veterans will be accepted.
What is a Sign-In Partner?
AccessVA partners with government approved Sign-In Partners to issue digital credentials (i.e. username / password) used to identify a person signing into VA websites. If you do not already use one of the offered credentials, you can register at the Sign-In Partner's website.
For more information please see our "AccessVA Sign-In Partners" section of our About Page.
What is a Credential?
The simplest example of an online credential is a username and password. You are probably familiar with entering usernames and passwords, and this is all you need for most web sites. However, there are different levels of credentials that are issued based on the security requirements of the application you are accessing. For example, a doctor who is accessing the medical records of several Veterans across the Internet will need a stronger credential than a simple username and password, such as a digital certificate or smartcard. There are different levels of credentials that are issued based on the security requirements of the application you are accessing. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has defined four assurance levels. Levels 1 and 2 are user IDs and passwords, while levels 3 and 4 require additional security measures.
Credentials used with Access are provided by AccessVA's Sign-In Partners.
How do I update my Sign-In Partner / Credential information?
If your personal information, such as last name or address, has changed you may need to update your Credential information with the Sign-In Partner you registered for the credential with. Your Sign-In Partner is the organization who assigned and maintains your credential. We are not able to update your credential through AccessVA. You will need to contact your Sign-In Partner to make these updates. The following provides contact information for AccessVA's Sign-In Partners:
| Sign-In Partner | Contact Information |
|---|---|
| DS Logon | You will need to update your DEERs information with the DEERS Support Office (DSO): Phone: 800-538-9552 Phone: 866-363-2883 for the hearing impaired Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time Closed on federal holidays |
| DoD CAC | You will need to update your DEERs information with the DEERS Support Office (DSO): Phone: 800-538-9552 Phone: 866-363-2883 for the hearing impaired Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time Closed on federal holidays |
| ID.me | Please log in to the ID.me Site. Once logged in you will be able to update your account information. Link: www.ID.me |
| LOGIN.GOV | Please log in to the LOGIN.GOV Site. Once logged in you will be able to update your account information. Link: www.login.gov |
| My HealtheVet | Please log in to the My HealtheVet Site. Once logged in, you will be able to update your account information on your My Profile page. Link: www.myhealth.va.gov |
| VA PIV | Please contact your local PIV Badging office: Link: https://www.oit.va.gov/programs/piv/locations.cfm |
How do I Know What Level of Credential I Need?
As a general rule, if you are using the credential to access only your own information, level 2 is sufficient. In most cases, the application or web site you are accessing will accept multiple levels and only display application features appropriate for your level. The application should also tell you when you could get additional features with a higher level credential.
Who is participating with AccessVA?
The current participating VA application partners are AVA, Benefits Integration Platform (BIP), Box, Box High External, Community Care Referrals and Authorization (CCR&A), Centralized Mail Portal, Education Development Management System (EDMS), Fiduciary Accountings Submission Tool (FAST), Kahua, IAM Invitation Service, iMove - Approver Portal, iMove - Employee Portal, iMove - Expense Portal, Life Insurance Online Policy Access, Medical Digital Image Exchange, Million Veteran Program (MVP), My HealtheVet (MHV), PAWS Portal, Prosthetics Vendor Portal, QuickSubmit, Remote Order Entry System (ROES), Stakeholder Enterprise Portal (SEP), Source Track, Sports4Vets, Sports4Vets for Certifying Officials and NVGAG Volunteers, VA Caregiver Support Program, VA Data Commons, VA Life Insurance (VALife), VA Loan Electronic Reporting Interface Reengineering (VALERI-R), SQUARES, Vet Sports Reporting, VetBiz Portal (VetBiz), VetRide, Veterans Exposure Team - Health Outcomes Military Exposures (VET-HOME), Veterans Identification Card (VIC), VTA IDES, Veteran Travel Claim Entry, VHIC Self-Service, and yourIT.
The participating credential-issuing partners are DoD DS Access (via DS Logon), ID.me, LOGIN.GOV, and My HealtheVet. Government-issued smartcards such as DoD's Common Access Card (CAC) and VA's Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Card are also accepted. You may learn more about these Sign-In Partners on our Sign-In Partners page.
The following is a matrix of which credentials are supported by which applications:
| Application | DS Logon | DoD CAC | ID.me | LOGIN.GOV | My HealtheVet | VA PIV | VA Logon |
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Please check back in the future, as this list will be continually updated with each new partner that joins AccessVA.
I Already Have Accounts for the VA System I Access Online - Why Should I use AccessVA?
Traditionally, each online government service, such as an application or web site, issued its own credential that could only be used at that application or site. Under this approach, people who use many different online government services tend to have many different credentials. One of the problems with having many user IDs and passwords is that people may not be able to remember them all and so they tend to write them down. This increases the risk that an unauthorized person will discover and use those credentials. By enabling end users to reuse credentials they already have rather than creating new credentials every time they try to access a new service, AccessVA helps reduce the risks, and hassles, associated with having too many credentials. AccessVA is definitely a change from the way we are used to doing things, but we think it is a change for the better. There will be no more struggling to remember obscure log-ins, passwords, and using sticky-notes to keep track of everything. With AccessVA, you may be able to use one authentication credential to log into all the participating applications you have access to. As AccessVA membership grows, so will the value of your AccessVA credential.
Can I register for more than one Sign-In Partner / Credential?
Yes, you can register with multiple AccessVA Sign-In Partners.
Do I need more than one AccessVA Sign-In Partner?
Hopefully not. It might be possible that a credential you currently hold will not match the level of assurance required for a particular application. In general, if you have a higher level of credential than the application or feature requires, the online application should accept the credential. If your credential is lower than required, it will not be accepted. Because each application and credential issuer works with its own set of business rules, it is not possible for one credential to be used by all applications.
What is a Level of Assurance?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defined four separate levels of assurance: Assurance Level 1 through Assurance Level 4. The higher the level, the higher the confidence that you are who you say you are. Assurance Level 2 is needed to access many important features of VA participating applications. Level 3 and Level 4 require additional technology in addition to a simple user ID and password to provide the additional level of confidence that meet highly secure application requirements.
Below is a brief explanation of Assurance Levels. For more details, see NIST Special Publication 800-63-2, "Electronic Authentication Guideline," available at: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-63-2.pdf
| Assurance Level 1 |
| Definition: AL1 is defined as those appropriately bound credentials that entitle the possessor access only to data for which the risk of unauthorized disclosure or alteration presents minimal risk both to VA and the user, but for which the VA requires that the user stipulate his or her identity. |
| Identity Proofing Requirements: None. |
| Token Control Requirements: None. It is assumed that the ability of the user to present the e-Authentication token is sufficient to demonstrate he or she controls that token. |
| Assurance Level 2 |
| Definition: AL2 is defined as those appropriately bound credentials that entitle the possessor access to data for which the risk of unauthorized disclosure or alteration presents some risk both to VA and the user, but no risk to any third party. |
| Identity Proofing Requirements: To receive an AL2 credential a trusted third party must proof the individual in order for them to obtain a credential. Possession of a valid current government number and a financial or utility account number is required. Confirmation of records of either the government ID OR account number is performed prior to issuing the credential. Address/email/phone number confirmation and notification is necessary. For example the process used by DMDC is sufficient to receive AL2 credential. |
Token Control Requirements: A single-factor authentication, e.g., a shared secret. For instance, a level 2 username/password token may require:
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| Assurance Level 3 |
| Definition: AL3 is defined as those appropriately bound credentials that entitle the possessor access to data for which the risk of unauthorized disclosure or alteration presents significant risk to VA, the user, and third parties. |
| Identity Proofing Requirements: To receive an AL3 credential a trusted third party must proof the individual in order for them to obtain a credential. Possession of a valid current government number and a financial or utility account number is required. Confirmation of records of the government ID AND account number is performed prior to issuing the credential. Address/email/phone number confirmation and notification is necessary. |
| Token Control Requirements: A user with an AL3 credential must provide two-factor authentication at the time the credential is submitted for e-authentication purposes. The two factors cannot be of the same type, but rather must be a combination of two of the following factor types: something the user knows, something the user has, or something the user is. Alternatively, token control can be verified by a system that interacts with the user during the presentation of the e-auth token, e.g., once the user presents the token, an immediate communication is made to the user's official point of contact (such as telephone number), to which the user must reply properly before access is granted. |
| Assurance Level 4 |
| Definition: AL4 is defined as those appropriately bound credentials that entitle the possessor access to data for which the risk of unauthorized disclosure or alteration presents potentially catastrophic risk to: 1) National security, 2) life, 3) substantial Federal property, to include financial loss, 4) the reputation and mission of VA. |
| Identity Proofing Requirements: To receive an AL4 credential a trusted third party must In-Person proof the individual in order for them to obtain a credential. Two forms of I-9 documentation are required and validation of those documents is also required. In addition fingerprints are captured from the individual in order to conduct a background investigation. For example, the process used to obtain a PIV card. |
| Token Control Requirements: A user with an AL4 credential must provide two-factor authentication at the time the credential is submitted for e-authentication purposes. The two factors must include a biological component, (e.g. retina or iris scan, fingerprint or palm verification, face or voice recognition, etc.). In addition, token control requirements must reflect an approved Level 4 token and protocol: secure issuance, a robust validation scheme, and lifecycle management. |
What is Identity Proofing?
Identity proofing is the process that a credential issuer uses to verify you are who you say you are. Before issuing you a credential, the issuer must ensure that the person asking for the credential is that person. With DS Logon, there are 2 methods available to be identity proofed. One method involves completing a remote proofing process online. Another method involves verifying your identity in person. In-person proofing is performed at VA Regional Offices (VAROs).
How do I Receive a Credential from the DoD DS Access (DS Logon)?
A request for a DS Logon can be made in one of three ways: 1. A DoD Sponsor can request a DS Logon for them self and eligible family members using the DoD Self-Service Access Center web site. If DoD Sponsor is self-requesting using their Common Access Card (CAC), they will be able to obtain their DS Logon immediately. Otherwise, an activation code will then be sent to the DoD individual for whom the DS Logon was requested through the United States Postal Service (USPS). This will result in a Level 2 assurance credential. 2. A DoD Sponsor or family member can request a DS Logon at a military identification card (ID) issuing facility when obtaining a new military ID. You will need to request for a DS Logon during the military ID issuance. The activation code will be sent to the DoD individual for whom the DS Logon was requested through the United States Postal Service (USPS). This will result in a Level 2 assurance credential. 3. A Veteran may register through a link at VA's eBenefits portal. This process first grants you a Level 1 credential but immediately makes you eligible to upgrade that account to a Level 2 (Premium Account) by performing the remote proofing process. Use the DS Access Center website to register for a DS Logon. Also see the DS Access FAQ for more information.
