Successful GUS Submissions 

Presented by: Trish Cousins, Finance and Loan Analyst, Lender and 

Partner Activities Branch
2

Todays Topics

Understanding GUS underwriting recommendations

Uploading required documentation

Common error messages in GUS

Who to contact for what and when
Security or Branch 

Administrator

• Imports applications

• Manually enters 

application information

• Performs preliminary and 

final submission

• GUS contact for 

organization and 

administers access for 

staff

• Lenders should have at 

least 2 Security 

Administrators

*Can be at lender or branch level*

Representative with 

Final Submit Authority

• Imports Applications

• Manually enter 

application 

information

• Certifies the loan has 

been underwritten by 

the lender

• Confirms data is 

accurate and 

consistent with 

lender’s loan file

• Performs preliminary 

and/or final 

submission

*Can be at lender or branch level*

Representative

• Imports applications

• Manually enters 

application information

• Performs preliminary 

submission

*Can be at lender or branch level*

Lender Agent/Broker

• Manually enters or 

imports loan application 

information on behalf of 

a lender through the 

Lender Agent affiliation

• Performs preliminary 

submission

• Must release control of 

application back to 

approved lender for final 

submission 

GUS User Roles
1) Create your 

customer

eAuthentication 

account at 

www.eauth.usda.go

v/home/

2) Complete the 

required training to 

obtain access to GUS

3) Determine: Are you 

a Third-Party Originator 

or a Direct Lender https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/

rd-sfh-gainingaccesstogusv2.pdf

Gaining Access to GUS
1) Pull the Lender Access 

to GUS Guide available 

under the GUS Tab on 

the LINC Training and 

Resource Library page

2) Contact the lenders of 

your choice

3) Provide the lender’s 

GUS Security Administrator 

with your eAuthentication 

information, they will set 

up access to GUS. https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/rd

-sfh-systemaccessandsecurityguide.pdf

Third Party Originator
1) Pull the System 

Access and Security 

Guide available under 

the GUS Tab on the 

LINC Training and 

Resource Library 

page

2) Contact the GUS 

Security Administrator 

for your company

3) Provide the GUS 

Security Administrator 

with your 

eAuthentication 

information, they will set 

up access to GUS.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/rd-sfhsystemaccessandsecurityguide.pdf

USDA Approved Lender
BOOKMARK 

THIS!

NOT THIS!

https://usdalinc.sc.egov.usda.

gov/RHShome.do

https://rdforcerausda.lightning.force.com/lightn

ing/n/RD_URLA_WelcomeTab
Building a Complete Loan Application

1. Understanding Submission Types

2. Completing Form RD 3555-21

3. Assembling Documents

4. Uploading Documents Timely

5. Utilizing the Resources and Tools

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/usda-linc-trainingresource-library
Understanding Submission Types

ACCEPT

• Review “GUS 

Findings Report”.

• Refer to “Loan 

Origination 

Checklist” 

(Attachment 15-A) 

for Accept Loans.

• Upload documents 

via the GUS in 

stacking order.

ACCEPT with FULL 

DOCUMENTATION

• Review “GUS Findings 

Report”.

• Refer to “Loan 

Origination Checklist” 

for Manually 

Underwritten Loans. 

Not all documents will 

be applicable.

• Upload documents via 

the GUS in stacking 

order.

REFER and REFER with 

CAUTION

• Review “GUS Findings 

Report”.

• Not a reason to deny the 

loan, it needs further 

review.

• Refer to “Loan 

Origination Checklist” 

for Manually 

Underwritten Loans. 

• Upload documents via 

the GUS in stacking 

order. No need to email 

anything!

*The attachment 15-A can be located under the Loan Origination Tab on the LINC Training and Resource Library Page. 

rd.usda.gov/resources/usda-linc-training-resource-library * 
GUS Determination: Accept/Eligible

 Appraisal

 FEMA Form 086-0-32 “Standard Flood Hazard 

Determination Form”

 “Request for Single Family Housing Loan 

Guarantee” (Form RD 3555-21)

 If applicable:

 NPS credit report

 Mortgage payoff statement 

GUS Underwriting 

Recommendations – What’s 

required
GUS Accept with “Full Documentation” Message

Determination is listed 

under the “Prior to 

Conditional Commitment 

Findings” Section of the 

“Lender’s Required 

Conditions”
GUS Determination: Accept/Eligible with Full 

Documentation

 Appraisal

 All income and asset documentation

 FEMA Form 086-0-32 “Standard Flood Hazard Determination 

Form”

 “Request for Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee” (Form RD 

3555-21)

 Income calculation worksheet

 URLA and Underwriting Analysis Forms

 If applicable:

 NPS credit report

 Mortgage payoff statement 

Full Documentation File – What's 

required?
GUS Determination: 

Refer or Refer with Caution

• Risk factors have been identified based 

on data entered into GUS

• The credit risk evaluation represented by a 

“Refer with Caution” is greater than a “Refer”

• Loans should not be denied solely based on a risk 

evaluation generated by the GUS

• Loan must be manually underwritten and full 

documentation package submitted to USDA

GUS Underwriting Recommendations
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GUS Underwriting Findings Report

Refer and Refer 

with Caution 

Determination:

 Loan Risk 

Findings

 Lender’s 

Required 

Conditions
Refer/Refer with Caution – what is 

required?

GUS Determination: Refer/Refer w/Caution

 Appraisal

 All income and asset documentation

 FEMA Form 086-0-32 “Standard Flood Hazard Determination 

Form”

 “Request for Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee” (Form RD 

3555-21)

 Income calculation worksheet

 If applicable:

 NPS credit report

 Mortgage payoff statement 
GUS Determination Accept/Ineligible:

• Property not located in a rural area

• Adjusted annual income exceeds Rural 

Development guidelines

• Non-owner-occupied transaction

• Not a qualified alien

• Unacceptable SAM or CAIVRS

• Ratios exceed limits and borrower does not 

qualify for a ratio waiver.

GUS Underwriting Recommendations
Manufactured Housing Pilot

Streamlined-Assist Refinance Loans

STEP 1: Required GUS Entries

In GUS, the lender will enter, at a minimum, the following items:

a. “Eligibility” Page - Enter the following data points:

o Full Subject Property Address 

o Household Income

b. “Borrower” Page - Enter the following data points for at least one applicant:

o Borrower First Name, Last Name, Social Security Number

c. “Application Documents” Page - Upload all required documents as indicated on Attachment 15-A. Additional guidance on 

uploading documents is found in the GUS user guide, located in the USDA Linc Training & Resource Library 

d. Lenders should not order or reissue credit reports in GUS or run SAVE for manual file

submissions using this process. *These files are not to be finalized or submitted in GUS*

A full guide called the “Manual Submission Job Aid” can be found in the LINC Library under the “Loan Origination” section.

**https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/linc_manual_submission_job_aid.pdf**

Applications not Supported in GUS:
• STEP 2: E-mail the Appropriate Production Team

• Once the lender has uploaded all required documents into GUS, the lender will need to email the appropriate 

Production Team with notification that the application has been uploaded. Include the following information:

• GUS Application ID Number

• Applicant’s Name

• Property Address

• A return email from the Production Team, confirming submission of required documentation, will constitute the 

date of file submission.

Applications not Supported in GUS:
Timeliness

• Try to Upload documents prior to “Final” submission

• Double check findings to verify if more documents are 

required

Communication

• Notify the appropriate Production team at Rural 

Development anytime you upload documents for 

incomplete files

Completeness

• Efficiency is the key!

• Follow the checklist

Successful Document Submission
GUS – Application Document Uploads
GUS – Application Document Uploads

Steps:

1. Select the document 

to be uploaded from the 

user’s system.

2. Click Open to attach to 

the loan application.

3. Wait for the upload to 

complete as indicated in 

the Upload Files 

dialogue box. Select the 

Done button when the 

upload is complete.
GUS – Application Document Uploads

1. To submit the selected and 

uploaded document(s), select 

the Submit Document(s) 

button.

2. Submitted documents 

appear in the Submitted 

Documents section.

3. Select the eye icon under 

the Actions column to view 

the document.

4. Use the action buttons to 

navigate through the 

submitted document(s).
Uploading Documents into GUS

Uploaded documents, including agency issued forms may be 

retrieved at the Display Document tab.
Uploading Documents into GUS

This is going to take awhile...
Uploading Documents into GUS

We’ll get through this one super fast!
Request Forms

1. Navigate to the 

Request Forms tab and 

select the borrowers to 

be included on the Form 

3555-21.

2. Select the Display 

Form button.

3. Depending on your 

browser, the downloaded 

Form 3555-21 file will be 

available in Downloads or 

otherwise available for 

selection.
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RD Form 3555-21, Request for Single Family 

Housing Loan Guarantee

• Only required USDA Form

• Completed by lender, signed by lender 

and applicants - Electronic signatures 

are acceptable

• Include with submission package

• All information entered on this form 

must match data input into GUS -

eForms Home (usda.gov)
Form 3555-21

Section 1) Approved Lender and Third-Party Originator Name and Tax ID

Section 2) Applicant/Co-Applicant and Property Information

Non-GUS files, document GSA/SAM was Checked and if there are any 

GSA/SAM Exclusions. (SAM must be verified prior to the request for 

the CC and no greater than 30 days prior to loan closing) prior to 

loan closing so you may need to re-verify this information prior to closing.

If this is a refinance, indicate what type of loan you are 

refinancing, Direct or Guaranteed.

2a and 2b, the household member information is listed, you can 

populate up to five applicants on the form.

3a and 3b, enter the annual and adjusted annual income totals. 

eForms Home (usda.gov)
Form 3555-21

Section 3) Break down the loan amount:

• Purchase or Refinance Amount – Purchase Price must match the 

Purchase and Sale Agreement, Refinance Amount, must match the 

Payoff. 

Financed Closing Cost

Financed Repairs

Guarantee Fee

Total Request

eForms Home (usda.gov)
30

 Borrowers added or deleted

 Decrease in income 

 Decrease in cash assets

 Increase in loan amount

 Increase in interest rate

 Increase in mortgage or personal 

liabilities of $51 or more

 Decrease in interest rate

 Decrease in loan amount

 Decrease in mortgage or personal 

liabilities

 Increase in assets

 Increase in mortgage or personal 

liabilities of $50 or less

Resubmission Policy

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/3555-1chapter05.pdf
Common GUS Errors and How to Fix Them
GUS Validation Error Messages

Double check 

your data. 

Pay extra 

attention to 

fields required 

for 

Preliminary VS 

Final 

submissions.

Current employer phone number and address

Current position and how long in the line of work

Former employer address, phone number and monthly income

Marital Status

Mailing Address and how long at the current address

Assets - Financial Institution and account number

CAIVRS – Confirm the CAIVRS is valid

Demographic
GUS Validation Error Messages

Double check your data. 

Pay extra attention to fields required for Preliminary VS Final submissions.
XML Import Fail – Fairly Generic Code

This could be caused by entering...

Too many 

characters in 

addresses, loan 

numbers, etc.

Note rate must 

be entered as 

an actual rate, 

0.00 for the note 

rate will give 

this error

Text in a 

numeric field 

will give you the 

XML Import Fail
Limited Characters

This may cause issues when...

Dependent 

Age

Only allows 

for 2 numeric 

characters. If 

dependent 

under 1 year, 

round up

MSA

Cannot be 

N/A it must 

be 5 

characters

Loan 

Originator 

Address 

The first line 

can not 

exceed 35 

character and 

the unit 

number can 

not exceed 11 

characters

Lender TAX ID

Do not put 

the dash, 

limited to 9 

numeric 

characters

Lender Loan 

Number

Limited to 15 

characters

Debt Account 

Numbers

Limited to 30 

characters
What to do if you get an XML Import Failure

Scroll to the 

bottom of the 

page 

Screen shot the 

entire message

Email the screen 

shot along with 

the GUS 

Application ID 

number and your 

contact 

information to the 

GUS Helpdesk 
Schema Validation Error

The LOS is not 

producing XML 

Files according to 

the DU v1.8.2. 

specification.

How do I fix it?

Contact the 

helpdesk for 

assistance
Ineligible Error Findings

What Causes Them?

Incorrect or invalid 

CAIVRS number. 

Incorrect address 

input into GUS.

Verify the property 

address.

Incorrect SAM 

response.

Verify “NO” is checked 

and not “YES” if no 

parties have been 

debarred.
Property Eligibility

May enter specific address, use 

zoom bar or double click on the 

state and zoom in for closer view 

of a general area 
Ineligible Error Findings

What Causes Them?
Liabilities

Will transfer to GUS 

when credit is pulled 

in the LOS

Liabilities not on 

credit must be 

manually input into 

LOS or into GUS

if Credit is updated 

in GUS after being 

imported from the 

LOS
• The "Validate Application" function should be used just prior to preliminary or final submission to ensure all 

entries meet the criteria for the submission type requested.

• After selecting “Validate Application” if errors exist a new browser tab will display that details data entry 

errors by page. 

Validate the Application
• Examples of errors 

could be:

• Missing DOB or DOB 

entered incorrectly.

• Missing a credit report

• Income not input or 

input incorrectly

• PITI ratio incorrect

Validate the Application
Returned by the Fannie Mae Credit Interface

Typically relayed from the specific credit vendor requested by the lender user

These errors are not retuned by GUS

ONLY contact the GUS help desk after checking user data inputs and confirmation there are no errors

 Credit Vendor Account number and/or vendor password

 Borrower Name, Social Security Number, Address, etc

 Credit report “reference number” (if a reissued report)

Credit Report Failure Message
• The lender can update an existing application using the import feature. 

• Please ensure the Lender Loan Number recorded in your LOS matches the Lender Loan Number in GUS

• This can help save time by updating the information in GUS without manually inputting each change.

Updating an existing application
46

Intelligent Replacement – Another Enhancement to GUS

How does GUS know?

Application Status:

• The file cannot be in Final Submission status

• The file is not in a withdrawn application status

• If the application was originally created in GUS by a lender agent user, then the Lender Agent must control of the application in order to import 

and updated application into GUS

• GUS Compares the Lender loan number to existing applications – in doing so it knows if it’s a new application or an existing file in GUS

• If the file meets permitted conditions for update, then it will be updated.

• If there is more than one application in GUS with the same Lender Loan Number, meeting the conditions that permits an update, then the update file 

import request will be rejected because GUS does not know which application to update. To facilitate an update, the lender can withdraw 

unwanted/duplicate applications in GUS so that only one application exists.
47

Intelligent Replacement – Another Enhancement to GUS

Changes to Borrower information?

What if the number of assets changes from the original application?

• If data that was originally used to generate a credit report, eligibility finding, etc. changes with an update application import, then the original 

response from the service will be deleted and the user will need to recall the service from within the GUS application. For example, a GUS 

application is originally established for John & Mary Homeowner and a joint credit report is issued in GUS. If the update application import file 

contains a change to John’s Social Security Number, then GUS assumes the borrower has changed. In this instance, the existing joint credit 

report for John & Mary Homeowner is removed from GUS and the user will need to order/re-issue a credit report with the updated Social 

Security Number for John.

• If data originally used to generate a credit report, eligibility finding, etc. does not change with an update application import then the original 

response from the service will be retained in GUS following the import.

• GUS will reflect information contained in the update application import file. Essentially, GUS deletes the original asset accounts associated 

with the existing GUS application and inserts asset accounts as represented in the update application import file.

Manual Updates

• Yes, you can always do a manual update in GUS, but Intelligent Replacement is option to update your files.
Provide the following when contacting the GUS Help Desk:

 Lender Name (If user is a Lender Agent, provide Approved Lender’s 

Name as well)

 Screenshot of error message

 Full name of user experiencing issue

 GUS Application ID (if applicable)

 Date/Time of attempted file import (for file import failures only)

For GUS Technical Issues – RD.HD@USDA.GOV or 833-314-0168 x5

Contacting the GUS Helpdesk
49

HB-1-3555 Excellent Resource!

https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/usda-linc-training-resource-library

Use Ctrl-F to find 

answers quickly!

Bookmark It!
50

HB-1-3555
51

HB-1-3555

Origination FAQs

Bookmark It!

Use Ctrl-F to find 

answers quickly!

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/rd-sfh-faqloanorigination.pdf
Program Updates

Handbook and Forms Changes

USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan 

Program (SFHGLP) Toll Free CALL System is Now 

Available

833-314-0168

In July, we opened up a new toll free call 

system, which is available to all lending 

partners from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm EST 
RD Form 3555-21, Request for Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee

•Updated August 30th 2022

•Mandatory use on all applications final 

submit on or after November 30,2022

• Lender must ensure all pages are same 

revision date

Program Updates

Handbook and Forms Changes
RD Form 3555-11, Lender Record Change

RD Form 3555-17, Loan Note Guarantee

RD Form 3555-18, Conditional Commitment for Single Family Housing 

Loan Guarantee

Program Updates

Handbook and Forms Changes

All forms have been updated effective August 30, 2022
Chapter 16 – Closing the Loan and 

Requesting the Loan Note Guarantee

 Mandatory GUS and LLC Final Rule

 GovDelivery Announcement Published

 Effective May 9, 2022 – Mandatory Use

 Loans not supported by GUS are not impacted

Program Updates

Handbook and Forms Changes
Program Updates

Handbook and Forms Changes

Clarification of the Eligibility of Non-U.S. Citizens with Valid Social Security Numbers and 

Employment Authorization Documents

Beginning May 2, 2022 the SFHGLP began a 12-month period where non-US citizens with a valid Social 

Security Number and work authorization, as evidenced by documentation such as an Employment 

Authorization Document, Form I-766 (EAD) are temporarily eligible to apply for assistance.

All other applicant eligibility requirements of the program regulation handbook still apply.

A Non-U.S.Citizen Waiver Processing Guide is available on the USDA LINC Training and Resource Library 

under the Loan Origination tab.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/N

onU.S.Citizen_WaiverProcessingGuide.pdf

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/3555-

1chapter08.pdf
HB-1-3555, Chapter 11 Updates
58

HB-1-3555 Lender Webpage

Monitor posted turn 

times daily

Loans reviewed in 

order received

https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/sfh-guaranteed-lender 
Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program 

SFHGLP National Production Teams

SFHGLP National Production Teams
Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program 

CONTACT US

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program 

SFHGLP National Production Teams
61

HBCritical Alerts & -1-3555

Updates

Stay Up-to-Date

Sign Up Today!

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDARD/subscriber/new?q

sp=USDARD_25
62

Do you feel you need training?

Have your organization reach out to the Lender Partner Activities Branch 

with a specific training request, we will make it happen!

Contact us at: sfhgld.lenderpartner@usda.gov, we look forward to hearing from you! 
63

www.rd.usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.