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Public Information Freedom of Information Act Requests Records We Make Available Making a FOIA Request Frequently Requested Records and Fees Records We Generally Can Not Disclose How the Privacy Act Affects Your Request How We Process Your Request Expedited Process Denials and Appeals |
The FOIA allows members of the public to request records from Federal agencies. The Federal government established FOIA to promote transparency and prevent agencies from having secret policies. We prepare many documents for public distribution - such as leaflets about our benefits programs, press releases, and reports. Many of these documents are available on our Internet site at www.socialsecurity.gov. We encourage you to browse the site for documents that interest you. We do not process requests for public information materials as FOIA requests. Freedom Of Information Act RequestsMembers of the public can get documents from Federal agencies based on the FOIA. Available RecordsWe allow the public to inspect and copy any of our administrative staff manuals or instructions to staff that contain policies, procedures, or interpretations that affect the public. You can inspect and copy the following SSA records online,
in any field office, at our headquarters in
Program
Operations Manual System (POMS) State and Local Coverage Handbook for the Social Security Administration and State Social Security Administrators
The Handbook is also available online at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/slge/slch.htm SSA Organizational Chart Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law Manual (HALLEX)http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/hallex/hallex.htm
Social
Security Electronic Freedom of Information(eFOIA) You can request a copy of the following online:
Please Note: We will not disclose information about any person in our records who is under 120 years old, except in those cases where we have acceptable proof of death (e.g., death certificate, obituary, newspaper article, or police report). You can make payment online with a secure online payment via pay.gov. You can use these credit cards:
Other Online FOIA Requests If you would like to make an online FOIA request for records other than a photocopy of an application for a Social Security Card (SS-5) or a computer extract of a Social Security Card Application (Numident), you may make your request online using the eForm. However, we may charge a fee for this information. After we receive your request, we will let you know if there is a fee. You cannot pay this fee online. INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR REQUEST How Do I Get This Information?
Is There A Fee For This Information?
Online service for eFOIA is available during the following time periods:
Mail In Requests It is easy to make a written FOIA request by mail. No form is needed. We process FOIA requests in two locations, depending on the type of request. Mark both the envelope and its contents: “FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST” or “INFORMATION REQUEST.” Be sure to include your name and address on your request. It is a good idea to include a daytime phone number or e-mail address in case we need to contact you about your request. Do not include a return envelope. There is a form available to request copies of applications for a Social Security Number (Form SS-5) for people who are deceased. Form SSA-711 (Adobe reader required to view) may be used for this purpose; however, you do not need to use the form. Address your request to: Social Security Administration You can use Form SSA-714 (Adobe reader required) to pay by credit card. Make checks or money orders payable to the Social Security Administration. DO NOT SEND CASH Frequently Requested Records and Fees Requests for records of Social Security number (SSN) holders, claimants and wage earners, are covered by the fee schedule below. Many numident records of older individuals, primarily those born in 1910 or earlier, are abbreviated records that do not contain the names of the individual’s parents and may not contain the place of birth. The Social Security Administration did not begin keeping records until November 1936.
We can not search for the SSN of anyone born before 1865. Send all other FOIA requests to: Social Security Administration If you want to request a record which we don't publish or which we don't make available in one of our offices, mark your envelope and its contents “FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST” and include the following:
DO NOT INCLUDE A RETURN ENVELOPE There may be a fee for information you requested. We will let you know if your request will cost more than $250 before we start a search. The FOIA fees are based on the grade of employees doing the work and the amount of time spent on your request, plus 10 cents per page for photocopying. The Hourly Fees for Search and Review Are:
Records We Generally Can Not Disclose The FOIA does not require agencies to disclose all records. Some examples of records we may not disclose are:
How The Privacy Act Affects Your Request
If you are requesting your own record(s), we will process your request under the Privacy Act first, instead of under the FOIA. Please visit your local Social Security field office to request your own records. The office that services your area can be located using the Field Office locator: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp
If you are requesting another living person’s record, you need the person’s written consent to disclose the record to you. In these cases, send your request, with the signed consent, to your local Social Security office .
If you need your records in connection with your claim for Social Security benefits, or if you are a representative of someone pursuing a claim for Social Security benefits; send your request to your local Social Security office. How We Process Your RequestWe try to handle your request within 20 working days from the date we receive it. Sometimes it may take us longer depending on the difficulty of finding the record and how much other work we have. We process requests under a “first in” “first out” basis using the following categories:
Simple requests where the receiving office has all the information it needs for the answer. These requests will take the least amount of time to process. Longer These requests often require the receiving office to obtain more information from another SSA office(s). Longest Requests that require:
These requests take the longest to answer. We provide expedited handling when the request:
If you think your request should be expedited, please explain your reasons fully in your request. Within 10 days from the date of your request, we will decide whether we will expedite it and notify you of our decision. Denials And AppealsSometimes we cannot disclose some or all of the records you requested. When we cannot disclose some or all of the records you requested, we will send you a written denial, explaining our reason(s) and your appeal rights.
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Last reviewed or modified Tuesday Sep 11, 2012 |