VA dependency claim

[Sean and Kristina 24]

I'm a veteran with a 50% VA disability rating. I electronically filed through eBenefits to add my husband as a dependent to my claim on 9/14/2015 (one full year ago today). We got married a few weeks prior to that in August 2015. Unfortunately because were in the early stages of applying for my husband's US permanent residency he did not have a SSN. Therefore I could not apply using the seamless dependency claim process the VA keeps advertising. Instead, I had to fill out a different form only and attach a copy of our marriage certificate. No big deal, right?

Well, it turns out that US Immigration moves light years faster than the VA because not only did we get my husband's social security number in February 2016, he become a US permanent resident in April 2016.

Anyway, this is my question: will the VA retroactively pay (back pay) the money for his dependency from the time that I filed?

Here is the timeline:

9/14/2015 - Submit initial dependency claim on eBenefits (marriage certificate included)

2/18/2016 - Called VA and added husband's SSN to claim now that he was assigned one

4/27/2016 - Submitted Claim Decision Request on eBenefits which is a 5103 Notice Acknowledgement that you can file signifying that you have no more evidence to provide and you want a decision made ASAP.

9/14/2016 - Called VA and they said that there is no update to my dependency claim. No decision has been made yet and they could not provide me with an estimated completion date.

However, eBenefits estimated completion date range has changed several times. As of today it reads: 06/24/2016 - 04/13/2017

If anyone has gone through this process or has any information about retro/back pay for dependency claims, ANY help would be appreciated!

Here's a link to compensation rates if anyone needs them: http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/resources_comp01.asp

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

They should retroactively repay/pay back the amount.

But you obviously know you need to make sure they do incase there is some "mistake".

I have 10% disability from VA myself and I know how slow they can be.

But this should be like the same for when you apply for disability, even though can take 3-4 months before they begin to pay the disability, it actually begins the month you filed it originally. Took me about 3 months and they just did one payment for 3 months worth(back pay).

Also I did do dependants in while in the service, my mom and two nephews, but luckily was while active so was quick/immediate unlike VA. They should back pay it automatically; but again make sure keep up with them; You know how it goes.