Requesting Department of State Records


The access procedures and guidelines for the availability of Department of State records and information to the public is recorded in 22 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 171.

 

Information Access Guide
Comprehensive guide for requesting Department of State records, including information on fees and appeals. Please use this guide to file a FOIA or Privacy Act request or Mandatory Declassification Review to guarantee proper filing. Failure to correctly file your request will result in delays.

 

Where to send your request

 

You may mail or fax your request for Department of State records to the following:

 

Address:
Office of Information Programs and Services
A/GIS/IPS/RL
U. S. Department of State
Washington, D. C. 20522-8100

 

Facsimile: 202-261-8579

 

Please write "Freedom of Information Act" on the envelope or the subject line of your fax.

 

There are no special forms needed for making a request for Department of State Records but your request should include the following information:

•   Your name, address, and daytime telephone number.
•   As much information as you can provide so that the Department can locate the requested material, including the subject, timeframe, any individuals involved, and reasons why the Department is believed to have records on the subject.
•   The maximum amount of fees that you are willing to pay. By making a FOIA request, you shall be considered to have agreed to pay all applicable fees up to $25, unless otherwise noted. Advance payment may be required when fees are likely to exceed $250.
•   If you are seeking a copy of a contract, please provide the contract number and an agreement to pay up to $300 per contract.

As a guide for requesting U.S. Department of State records you may wish to view a Sample Letter.

Electronic FOIA Request

 

If you are not seeking personal information about yourself or personal information on behalf of someone else, you may file a request online by using the FOIA Request Letter Generator on the Electronic FOIA Request page.

 

Requests for Personal Information

 

If you are requesting personal information on yourself or on behalf of someone else, please refer to the Information Access Guide. For a quick overview of what we need to validate a request for personal records, you may wish to view the Validation Checklist.

 

Please note: Requests for personal records require an original signature and cannot be accepted online or by fax.


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