ED Provides Update on Identity Verification Reporting Functionality in FAFSA Partner Portal
By Maria Carrasco, NASFAA Staff Reporter
The Department of Education (ED) on Tuesday night announced the identity verification reporting functionality will be available in the FAFSA Partner Portal (FPP) for the 2025-26 award year by August 31.
Institutions have been unable to report identity verification results to the department since the creation of the FAFSA Partner Portal.
Now that this functionality will be available, ED provided more details on which students institutions will need to report the verification results, noting that the reporting function is for results of students whom the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) has placed in verification tracking group V4 or V5 and should not be used for institutionally selected students.
The electronic announcement also stated that financial aid offices will not be required to report the results of identity verification for the 2024-25 award year. While not explicitly stated, it is NASFAA’s understanding that schools are required to report all results from 2025-26, even if verification documentation was requested prior to the availability of the reporting functionality. ED also stated the 2026–27 award year reporting functionality will be available at the start of the processing cycle.
Additionally, the electronic announcement noted the deadlines related to reporting V4/V5 outcomes and changes. Normally, schools are required to report verification outcomes within 60 days of requesting documentation from the student and within 30 days of becoming aware of any changes that need to be reported. However, since the verification reporting function is not available until August 31, V4 or V5 identity outcomes or changes must be made within 60 days or 30 days respectively of the normal timeframe requirement, or when the identity verification function becomes available, whichever is later.
ED also provided guidance on how institutions will submit results of identity verification in FPP, either individually or in batch, and details regarding the numeric codes for identity verification results.
Also in Tuesday’s EA, ED reminded institutions that in an effort to eliminate identity theft and fraud in the federal student aid programs, institutions will continue to have elevated identity verification rates for the fall 2025 semester.
Notably, the electronic announcement stated that approximately 300,000 ISIRs will be flagged for V5 verification “in the coming days.” According to ED, all 300,000 of these applications have “shown a pattern that makes them likely candidates for fraud.” The department wrote that it appreciates support from institutions, including the reporting of verification results into FPP, noting that this work will improve ED’s fraud model.
The electronic announcement also reiterated the changes to identity confirmation requirements for V4 and V5 verification. As a reminder, institutions are no longer required to obtain a Statement of Educational Purpose from students who are selected under the V4 or V5 verification tracking group; institutions now have additional options for completing identity verification remotely; and ED will consider a confined or incarcerated student’s identity to be verified if the student’s identity was verified by a responsible official at the facility where the individual is confined or incarcerated.
The department also reminded institutions that when a student is flagged for V5 and has federal tax information (FTI) populated on the ISIR, they only need to verify the student's identity.
Publication Date: 8/14/2025
Kristine S | 8/15/2025 11:48:13 AM
I am wary of he last paragraph, "The department also reminded institutions that when a student is flagged for V5 and has federal tax information (FTI) populated on the ISIR, they only need to verify the student's identity. " Verification Group V5 includes all of the requirements of V1 group, which includes Family Size and some manually-entered tax amounts. FTI has nothing to do with these values. What is the source for that comment??
Amanda G | 8/14/2025 9:20:02 PM
We received mostly V5 today too. I added IDVERF requirement to our V5 tracking groups when I first read they were planning to start sending "V4 and V5" reprocessed IRS for identity verification "later this year".
We received many today for both 2425 year - already ended - and 2526 - which starts Monday and oh yeah, a non payment drop is tomorrow. Today has been (it is still in progress at 8:15 pm) one of the most overwhelming in my 15 years in the FAO. And I regularly work nights and weekends throughout the year. Thanks, ED!
Amanda G | 8/14/2025 9:20:02 PM
We received mostly V5 today too. I added IDVERF requirement to our V5 tracking groups when I first read they were planning to start sending "V4 and V5" reprocessed IRS for identity verification "later this year".
We received many today for both 2425 year - already ended - and 2526 - which starts Monday and oh yeah, a non payment drop is tomorrow. Today has been (it is still in progress at 8:15 pm) one of the most overwhelming in my 15 years in the FAO. And I regularly work nights and weekends throughout the year. Thanks, ED!
Britanie K | 8/14/2025 11:44:52 AM
I still have not seen the updated suggested text that they noted would be available. The suggested text found is from September of last year.
Charles M | 8/14/2025 11:24:35 AM
If it's a potential identity issue, I still don't understand why they keep using V5. We do sometimes still have to verify family size even when FTI is populated on the ISIR. They should be using V4 if the student was not originally selected and now they are being flagged for a potential identity issue. Nearly all of ours (hundreds) are going from not selected to V5.
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