The Department of State maintains records dealing with:
- Formulation and execution of U.S. Foreign Policy
- Administration and operations of the Department of State and U.S. Missions abroad
- Consular assistance given to U.S. Citizens abroad
- In general, permanent records 25 years and older, pre-1925 passport and pre-1940 visa records are property of National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
- Current and former employees of the Department of State
- Applications from U.S. Citizens for U.S. Passports
- Visa requests from non-citizens to enter the U.S. You may wish to view the Visa Records Contact Information to determine where the visa records you are seeking are maintained
View announcements and the latest updates.
Your guide for requesting Department of State records.
Access Annual, Quarterly, and Chief FOIA Officer Reports.
The Code of Federal Regulations concerning Access to Department of State information.
Get answers to some common questions about the Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and Department of State records.
View details about the Department’s major information systems, as well as other information technology investments.
Access official Department of State forms managed by the Office of Directives Management.
The basic organizational directives of the Department of State.
Open Government Initiative.