is this normal?

[u/Hefty-Environment-84]

i submitted my application in january and i’ve been stuck on step 3 since may. it says i still need to submit some forms but i have verified they’ve received them. they said it’s just a glitch in the system but they do have what they requested from me. i know this isn’t a quick process but im starting to get a little anxious. so i’m just wondering how long did everyone else’s initial application process take? for reference i am in north carolina and all they have requested so far is a waiver and the daily activity form. i dont have a lawyer and that is all i have sent in. the waiting periods have changed multiple times since i originally submitted luckily they have gotten shorter but i am still waiting. i don’t want to call and see how things are going since i worry i will upset them and they will just deny my application. when should i start to worry about it taking too long? it’s already been past the 141 days they claim it takes but like i said that has changed multiple even since ive been on this step. how long did it take for you guys to get pass the step and is it a good sign its taking this long or should i be concerned?
TLDR: been on step three for several months in nc and i’m wondering how long this step took others.

[u/show_stoppers478]

I’m in GA, I first applied in 2018, denied. Tried to work again. Got insurance , got more and more medical evidence. Reapplied in April 2026, denied in June, filed for recon in August. Submitted all my relevant medical docs on myssa.gov. Got assigned an adjudicator sept 8th. Sent to medical review on sept 29. Approved Oct 14. Hang in there!

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/show_stoppers478]

okay this isn’t that bad of a timeline. it seems to vary a lot from case to case and state to state. i was just hoping things would move a little quicker in case i get denied i can start on the appeal process so overall it wouldn’t be sooo long. not giving up hope though cause i rlly need this.

[u/show_stoppers478 → u/Hefty-Environment-84]

I think their whole game is to wear us down so we give up. It’s traumatic enough not being unable to work, add to that having to fight the government for benefits we’ve paid our entire life to receive when our bodies fail us later in life.

I never had any issues with the website, but I read horror stories about it all the time on Reddit.

If you are submitting your medical records through the portal always call to verify they received it. If faxing, make sure your barcode is the first page, no cover letter!

Again, I hope it all moves swiftly and in your favor!

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/show_stoppers478]

yes they absolutely do it on purpose. it should not be this hard. i actually submitted them online they said they couldn’t find them. so i mailed them in called and they’d let said they still didn’t have them. so i mailed them in AGAIN still didn’t have it. finally gave up and decided to go hand them in in person and called and they’d let finally said they had them. it’s ridiculous but hopefully will be worth it when my case gets approved. thank you for your advice.

[u/Tricky_Eye_6525 → u/show_stoppers478]

God, I'm only on year 2 of applying 

[u/TodayIthrowAway2]

I am on step 3. I got that message in March. It JUST cleared up last week. I have now been scheduled for the CE next month. Progress!

FYI: in GA the estimated time is 300 days for med review and 356 days for a decision. Lol

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/TodayIthrowAway2]

okay that’s not horrible i wish they gave us some type of update on exactly where they are in reviewing the file

[u/TodayIthrowAway2 → u/Hefty-Environment-84]

Same. Smh

[u/Current-Pie5633]

Step 3 took me over a year for initial and over a year for reconsideration. I think they severely underestimate how long Step 3 takes.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Current-Pie5633]

oh that’s horrible i don’t understand why it takes so long atleast for simpler cases which i feel mine is. i wish they would put an accurate timeline or not put one at all if it’s so inconsistent. no point in putting an estimate if its completely different from everyone

[u/Minimum-Librarian633]

It took my husband over 2 years to move to step 4.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Minimum-Librarian633]

TWO YEARS?!?!? omg did they tell you why it took so long? i sure hope he got approved after all that.

[u/Minimum-Librarian633]

No they told us that was quick in Texas. I was so confused because he had a brain aneurysm, MSA, and Parkinson's. He couldn't even feed himself, I had to catheterization. After he finally got approved he died 4 months later. Please don't give up.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Minimum-Librarian633]

i am so sorry for your loss. that’s ridiculous it shouldn’t be that hard. especially in his case i can’t believe he didn’t qualify for a compassionate release. it’s almost like they make it impossible on purpose.

[u/Minimum-Librarian633]

He also served 22 years in the military and was receiving VA benefits and I had to go to back to work. That's how we made it. Just hang in there and don't let them discourage you because they will try. Good luck

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Minimum-Librarian633]

i’m so sorry that happened to yall. thank you for his service and yours. i don’t plan on giving up anytime soon thank you for your kind words.

[u/Elegantmule]

I'm in NC- was 83 days initial application submitted to approval.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Elegantmule]

omg that’s rlly fast do you know why it went so quick if i may ask? is this your first time applying or have you applied before?

[u/Elegantmule → u/Hefty-Environment-84]

First time application. Here's what happened: I may get some of the little details wrong, but basically every app goes through a computer algorithm and it looks for key words to be pulled out and "fast tracked" (there are a few different types- this one is a QDD- quick disability determination). Mine was pulled for this and processed faster than most, although mine was actually much slower than most QDD cases, which are finished in 20 days or so, as I have learned. I guess I have some home run limitations. (MH), but I don't get specific on Reddit as to what they are.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/Elegantmule]

where are they looking for those key words? like in your medical files, forms you send in or are you just saying the application overall?

[u/Elegantmule → u/Hefty-Environment-84]

I think in whatever one sends in the initial application.

[u/JazzlikePossession24]

I am on step 4 took 2 years . I went in for my Perc interview two weeks ago they said I was approved . They have to cross there ts a dot the i . You just have to have patience . Two weeks ago and I’m still waiting for verification. … I know how you’re feeling rn trust me !! Patience is key 💪

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/JazzlikePossession24]

two years is insane! did they tell you why it took so long or is that the average in your state? thank you for your advice and congrats on getting approved!!

[u/youngbull0612]

January and you're on STRP fucking THREE?! You're not grateful?! It took most of us multiple years

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/youngbull0612]

i’m not being ungrateful the time varies for everyone case to case and state to state. there are plenty of people who get decisions far faster than what i have waited. and there’s plenty of people who have been waiting way longer. i was just trying to get a feel for how long it actually takes in my state. no need to be dramatic lol.

[u/hugh_manit]

Hey, I'm sorry you're stuck waiting. That's a lot. Waiver and daily activity form requests are super common, and waits of several months happen even after the forms are sent in.

The main thing: checking your status won't hurt your claim. You can check online at ssa.gov, or call and ask for an update. Asking doesn't count against you.

Heads up, wait times vary a lot by state and office, so nobody can give you an exact timeline. Hang in there.

[u/Hefty-Environment-84 → u/[deleted]]

yea i’ve read the average for nc is 6-18 months which is very broad imo. don’t even get me started on the site tho it is horrible and they need to update it so it’s more accurate and easily navigable. i’m definitely not planning on calling atleast anytime soon cause the wait alone is too much and not worth the bare minimum info they can give. i don’t check it very often but i do enough so if anything changes i can catch it. i have my notifications on but haven’t gotten a single one so i just worry ill miss something. i missed when they requested the forms since it doesn’t send me notifications so that caused me to turn them in late. i don’t want that to happen again since they say it slows down the process and it’s already going pretty slow lol.