DHS FOIA Request Submission Form

The DHS allows the public to submit FOIA and Privacy Act requests electronically. The form below was developed to help the public submit complete and accurate requests to any of the DHS component offices listed in the dropdown menu.

The use of this form is voluntary. If you choose to submit a FOIA request electronically, you must complete the fields marked with an "*". If you do not enter accurate or required information, we may be unable to fulfill your FOIA request. To learn how we use the information you provide, please read our Privacy Act Statement.

eFOIA Mobile App

With the DHS eFOIA Mobile App, you can submit FOIA requests or check the status of requests, access all of the content on the FOIA website, and receive updates, event notices, and recently published documents.

Submit a FOIA Request

Select a DHS Component

Select the DHS component you wish to submit your request to: *

Or submit a request to FOIA Online.

Contact Information

Title

First Name *

Middle Initial

Last Name *

Suffix

Email Address *

Country *

Address 1 *

Address 2

City *

State

Zip Code *

Telephone Number

Fax Number

Requesting Personal Records

*** If you are requesting access to records about an individual, additional information may be required in order to facilitate the processing of your request. The DHS component your request is routed to will advise you if any additional information is required to aid the disclosure process.***

Are you requesting records on yourself? *

Yes

If yes, you must check the perjury statement

I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.

By initialing here you are providing your electronic signature.

Description

Describe the records you are seeking as clearly and precisely as you can. If your request is vague or too broad, we may ask you to be more specific, and this will delay the processing of your request. If you are submitting a request to USCIS please include A-Number and DOB within the request description for proper processing of your request.

Please describe the records you are seeking as clearly and precisely as possible:

Agreement to Pay

Please be advised that by making a FOIA request, it shall be considered an agreement by you to pay all applicable fees up to $25.00, unless you have been granted a fee waiver. We will confirm this agreement in our acknowledgement letter. When making a request, you may specify a willingness to pay a greater or lesser amount.

I am willing to pay fees for this request up to the amount of: $ *

Requester Category

Select from the list below: *

An individual seeking information for personal use and not for commercial use.

A representative of the news media seeking information as part of a news gathering effort and not for commercial use.

Affiliate with an educational or non commercial scientific institution seeking information for a scholarly or scientific purpose and not for commercial use.

Affiliated with a private corporation and seeking information for use in a company's business.

Fee Waiver

Fees otherwise chargeable in connection with a request for disclosure of a record shall be waived or reduced where it is determined that disclosure is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operation or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.

I request a waiver of all fees for this request.

Please provide an explanation for your request for a fee waiver:

Expedite Processing

Some requests may qualify for expedited treatment if the requester can demonstrate that it meets certain criteria established under DHS regulations. See 6 C.F.R. § 5.5(d)(1).

Please select and describe in detail if you believe your request warrants expeditious handling:

Please select and describe in detail if you believe your request warrants expeditious handling:

An imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual exists

An urgency to inform the public concerning actual or alleged Federal Government activity exists (This option available only for PERSONS ENGAGED IN DISSEMINATING INFORMATION).

An impairment of substantial due process rights of the requester exists.

A harm to substantial humanitarian concerns exists.

Please provide information to support your selection:

Privacy Act Statement

Authorities: 5 U.S.C. § 552, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, and 44 U.S.C. § 3101 authorize the collection of this information.

Purpose: DHS will use this information to locate applicable records and to respond to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) and Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a).

Routine Uses: This information may be used by and disclosed to DHS personnel, contractors, and/or other agents who need the information to assist in activities related to the processing of your Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act request. Additionally, DHS may use the information, as necessary and authorized by the routine uses published in the DHS/ALL-001 - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Freedom of Information Act (FIOA) and Privacy Act (PA) Record System February 4, 2014, 79 FR 6609.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary; however, failure to provide the information requested may delay or prevent DHS from processing your Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act Request.

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