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      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0001364783</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
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      </filer>
      <flags>
        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
        <confirmingCopyFlag>false</confirmingCopyFlag>
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      <investmentCompanyType>N-4</investmentCompanyType>
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      <reportClass>
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          <classId>C000035389</classId>
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    <generalInfo reportEndingPeriod="2025-12-31" isReportPeriodLt12="N"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>TIAA SEPARATE ACCOUNT VA-3</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-21907</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0001364783</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>549300R910FT5DIP3E43</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>730 Third Avenue</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>New York</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>10017-3206</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-NY</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>800-223-1200</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.tiaa.org"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>State Street Global Services</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>801 Pennsylvania</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Kansas City</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-MO" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>64105</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>816-871-1629</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Custody and accounting records</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>4 Chase Metrotech Center</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Brooklyn</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-NY" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>11245</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>718-242-0609</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Custody records</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
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      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <registrantFamilyInvComp isRegistrantFamilyInvComp="Y" familyInvCompFullName="TIAA-CREF"/>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-4</registrantClassificationType>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>N</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Richard S. Biegen</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>N/A</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>730 Third Avenue</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>New York</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoState="US-NY" ccoCountry="US"/>
          <ccoZipCode>10017</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
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            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="N/A" ccoEmployerId="N/A"/>
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        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <isExemptionFromAct>N</isExemptionFromAct>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>TIAA-CREF Individual &amp; Institutional Services</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>008-44454</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000020472</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderwriterRssdId>N/A</principalUnderwriterRssdId>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterState="US-NY" principalUnderWriterCountry="US"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
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      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>00238</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>5493002GVO7EO8RNNS37</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantRssdId>N/A</publicAccountantRssdId>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-NC" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>N/A</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>N/A</depositorLei>
          <depositorRssdId>N/A</depositorRssdId>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorState="US-NY" depositorCountry="US"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America</depositorUltimateParentname>
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      <uitAdmins>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>TIAA-CREF Individual &amp; Institutional Services , LLC</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminRssdId>N/A</uitAdminRssdId>
          <uitAdminOther>N/A</uitAdminOther>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-NY" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>Y</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
      </uitAdmins>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000013146"/>
      <numOfContracts>421192</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="TIAA ACCESS" separateAccountContractId="C000035389" separateAccountTotalAsset="23265953159.000000000000" numContractsSold="2686" grossPremiumReceived="2494790811.000000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="3067498093.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
      <isRule12D1Dash4Reliance>N</isRule12D1Dash4Reliance>
      <isRule12D1GReliance>N</isRule12D1GReliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <signature registrantSignedName="TIAA SEPARATE ACCOUNT VA-3" signedDate="2026-03-10" signature="Gina Spunder" title="Managing Director, Fund Administration"/>
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