Publication Date: March 11, 2016
| DCL ID: | GEN-16-06 |
Subject: Approval of General Forbearance Request Form for the Direct Loan, FFEL, and Perkins Loan Programs
Summary: This letter announces the approval of a revised General Forbearance Request form for the Direct Loan, FFEL, and Perkins Loan programs.
Dear Colleague:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved a revised William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, and Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program General Forbearance Request form under OMB Control Number 1845-0031.
The only substantive change to the General Forbearance Request form is that it must now be used in the FFEL and Perkins Loan programs as well as in the Direct Loan Program.
Implementation and Transition to the New Form
Program participants may begin distributing the attached OMB-approved General Forbearance Request form to borrowers immediately. Beginning July 1, 2016, only the revised form with the 2/28/2019 expiration date may be provided to borrowers. However, previous versions of the form may continue to be accepted from borrowers and processed after July 1, 2016.
Imaging Technology
To accommodate imaging technology, the attached form requires the borrower to complete and sign the form in ink. However, a pencil signature does not invalidate a form.
Printing Instructions
To improve accessibility for visually impaired borrowers, we are providing the form only in PDF format. Loan holders, servicers, and guaranty agencies are responsible for ensuring that the form they use is identical to the attached form, as approved by OMB. No changes may be made to the form except as expressly provided below.
The loan holder, servicer, or guaranty agency must print the form on white paper with black ink. The typeface, point size, and general presentation of the form may not be changed from the attached version. Loan holders and servicers may use any blank spaces at the top, bottom, or sides of the form for bar coding or other loan holder- or servicer-specific information. Also, loan holders and servicers may pre-populate their contact and submission information in the section of the form designed for that purpose.
Sincerely,
Jeff Baker, Director
Policy Liaison and Implementation
Federal Student Aid
U.S. Department of Education