Request Records through the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act

Alert: To respond to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) request as quickly as possible, we will soon stop accepting requests by fax or email. We strongly encourage you to begin using our online FOIA request and response service.

This service has several advantages for anyone making a FOIA request to USCIS:

Get your request to us instantly;
Track its progress as we review;
Receive our response as soon as its ready; and
Download records whenever you need them.

Image of a person holding mobile phone with the text of "Requesting records from USCIS is faster, easier, online."

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA), you can request:

Immigration records, whether your own or someone else’s with their permission; and
Agency policies, data, communications, and other records.

How to Request and Receive Records as Quickly as Possible

Step 1: Read this entire page, to ensure you request records the right way, from the right agency.

Step 2: Confirm we have not already posted the records you need in the USCIS Electronic Reading Room.

Step 3: Plan to request only the specific documents you need. We can return precise requests much faster than an entire file.

Step 4: Make your FOIA request online to bypass mailing, paper processing, and returned mail that can add significant additional time to your request. You can also use this service to receive records online if you have already made a request by mail. See below.

Step 5: Check the status of your request online. We will email you to check your account once your files are ready to download.

If you request	We will
Specific documents from an A-File	Be able to process your request faster. When you make your request, be as specific as possible about which documents you need. We can respond to requests for specific documents faster than large set of records, such as entire A-Files. Also explain if you are requesting: Information from your own immigration record; Information from another person’s immigration record; USCIS business, operational, or policy records; An amendment or correction of a record under the Privacy Act; or Another kind of record in USCIS custody.
Large portions of A-Files and non-A-File records	Require more time compared to specific documents.
Records we do not have, or if you make the request incorrectly	Notify you as quickly as possible.
An A-File, as soon as possible, because you have a scheduled hearing with an immigration judge	Prioritize your request to deliver it faster. You must include a copy of one of the following forms, as issued by the Department of Homeland Security or Department of Justice, with your request: Form I-862, Notice to Appear, documenting the upcoming date of the subject’s hearing before the immigration judge; Form I-122, Order to Show Cause, documenting the upcoming date of the subject’s hearing before the immigration judge; Form I-863, Notice of Referral to Immigration Judge; or A written notice of continuation of a future scheduled hearing before the immigration judge.

To request	You should
Immigration records, whether your own or someone else’s with their permission; or Agency policies, data, communications, and other records.	Request records online with USCIS, to instantly: Get your request in line for processing; Know we received it; Be notified when we process it, Track its status, and; Conveniently access your records. Online records are easy to: Access from a phone, tablet, or computer; Send to another person; and Download and print. You can receive records online even if: You did not file for immigration benefits online; You have a representative, as they can request your records through their USCIS online account; or You already requested your records by mail, email, or fax.
Records that are more than 100 years old	Request the records through the USCIS Genealogy Program
Accessible records under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act	Email the USCIS FOIA Program with: Subject line “FOIA Disability Accommodations”; Your name; A phone number where you can be reached; and Your FOIA control number. We will contact you to assist.
Records of apprehension, detention, deportation, entry, exit, expedited removal, background investigations, or inspections by Customs and Border Protection I-94 records Travel industry reservation data such as passenger name record (PNR) Voluntary return	Contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Information about Importer Trade Activity (ITRAC)	Contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ITRAC
Applications from U.S. citizens for U.S. passports Visa requests from noncitizens to enter the U.S.	Contact the U.S. Department of State
Bond obligor requests Medical records while someone was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Information affecting those previously or currently in F-1, F-3, J-1, M-1, and I-20 status	Contact U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Records by mail	Make Your Request Online Our online FOIA request service is the fastest, most convenient way to request and receive records from USCIS. FOIA and PA requests made by mail delay responses to all requestors. Attorneys and representatives can also make online FOIA requests on behalf of their clients. Requests Using Form G-639 If you wish to make your request by mail, download, complete, print, and sign Form G-639, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Request (PDF, 384.25 KB). Form G-639 is not mandatory, but it ensures we receive the right information to fulfill your request. Mail Requests without Form G-639 Alternately, you may draft and mail a request for records that complies with statutory FOIA procedures without using Form G-639. This method may increase the likelihood that you inadvertently do not include all the information we require to fulfill your request, delaying you from receiving the records you need. If you choose this option, ensure your request includes: Your name; Your address or email address; A clear and specific description of the records you are requesting; and If applicable, a justification for expedited treatment. If you are requesting records about yourself, include a statement of your identity, signed under penalty of perjury, or notarized. If you are requesting records about someone else, include: The name of the person to whom the records pertain, also known as the subject of record; and A third-party release statement giving you permission to seek their personal records. Be Specific However you make your request, be as specific as possible about which documents you need. We can respond to requests for specific documents faster than large set of records, such as entire A-Files. Also explain if you are requesting: Information from your own immigration record; Information from another person’s immigration record; USCIS business, operational, or policy records; An amendment or correction of a record under the Privacy Act; or Another kind of record in USCIS custody. Where to Mail National Records Center (NRC) FOIA/PA Office P.O. Box 648010 Lee’s Summit, MO 64064-8010 After we receive your request, we will send you a letter of acknowledgement, process the request and send you our response. You will receive any records we release by mail as files on a compact disk (CD).
Records by by email, or fax	We will soon stop receiving FOIA or PA requests by fax or email. Make Your Request Online Our online FOIA request service offers instant delivery of responses, easy access to records, and no postage costs. Attorneys and representatives can also make online FOIA requests on behalf of their clients.
Records online, after you made a FOIA or PA request by mail, email, or fax	Follow these steps: Locate the acknowledgement letter we sent to you after we received your request; and Login to your USCIS online account, or create one. Then, to connect your request to your online account: Login to first.uscis.gov; Click “My Requests”, then “Register Case by Pin”; and Enter the control number and pin found on the acknowledgement letter. When your documents are ready, we will post them in your online account and notify you by email.

To	You can
Appeal our determination of your request	Write a letter, known as an administrative appeal, and send it to: USCIS FOIA/PA Appeals Office 150 Space Center Loop, Suite 500 Lee's Summit, MO 64064-2139 Both your letter and its envelope should be clearly marked “Freedom of Information Act Appeal”.
Address concerns with your request or appeal by consulting a neutral third-party	Visit the website of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). OGIS offers mediation between FOIA requestors and federal agencies.

You can

Appeal our determination of your request

Write a letter, known as an administrative appeal, and send it to:

USCIS FOIA/PA Appeals Office
150 Space Center Loop, Suite 500
Lee's Summit, MO
64064-2139

Both your letter and its envelope should be clearly marked “Freedom of Information Act Appeal”.

Address concerns with your request or appeal by consulting a neutral third-party

Visit the website of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). OGIS offers mediation between FOIA requestors and federal agencies.

To	You can
See the status of a pending FOIA or PA request	Check the status of the request online, whether you made it online or by another means. You will need the FOIA control number included in your receipt message.
Ask more detailed questions about our process or your pending FOIA or PA request	Email the USCIS FOIA Program, or send us a fax at 802-860-6908 or 816-350-5785. Please note that we can only answer questions about FOIA or PA requests. We cannot help with, or respond to, questions about pending applications, petitions, or any other immigration matter. For these inquiries, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY: 800-767-1833).

Last Reviewed/Updated:

02/01/2022