NEW! For a list of participating VAAFI partners, click here.
What is the VA Authentication Federation Infrastructure (VAAFI)?
Simply put, VAAFI is a service that makes it easier for citizens to get access to online government services. VAAFI allows citizens and businesses to select and use government and non-government-issued electronic credentials (such as a user name and password combination) to conduct transactions with various government agencies and departments. The enabling of federation services across government agencies is just starting. As more web sites from Federal agencies become enabled for VAAFI, you will be able to access these enabled Federal web sites with a single credential. You will not be required to remember different log-in information for each web site. Right now, a single logon credential issued by a participating VAAFI Credential Provider will be able to get you onto many of the VA's web sites.
The first step is to get a VAAFI Credential Provider to issue you a single logon ID and a password. This one set of credentials will allow you to access online services from the VA and DoD and conduct business with many applications and web sites provided by these government agencies.
What's in it for Our Veterans?
The Department of Veterans Affairs exists to serve our Veterans. Veterans will realize substantial benefits by using VAAFI for their online transactions:
Secure and Easy Identity Validations - VAAFI provides a single identification credential and sign-on process that you can use for a number of other Federal information systems across participating agencies. Once it is established, Veterans will be spared the burden of having to keep track of multiple sets of ID credentials and will have a better user experience.
Reduces the Wait for Service and Increases Public Trust - VAAFI provides improved customer service by enabling a more streamlined record-keeping system that allows responsive and timely service for our Veterans while increasing the public's confidence in online business transactions with the Federal Government by preventing potential fraud.
Saves Taxpayer Dollars - VAAFI promotes efficiency and cost effectiveness by establishing a unified authentication system that can be interoperated among various agencies that serve our Veterans and citizens. By adopting a single system, we save taxpayer dollars.
Where is VAAFI today?
VAAFI is now in an established state. There are multiple VA web sites enabled for VAAFI, and multiple VAAFI Credential Providers are available that Veterans can use for logon credentials. As time moves on, more than twenty VA online applications will use the system as well as many Department of Defense web sites popular with Veterans.
