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Freedom of Information Act

CIA Home > Library > Electronic Reading Room > How to File a FOIA Request > File a FOIA Records Request Online

Filing a FOIA Records Request Online


This form allows you to forward Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests without attachments to CIA. Your request should be for information that is subject to FOIA and reasonably described, in accordance with the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended. Our Helpful Hints page provides further guidance on how best to formulate an effective FOIA request.  If you are seeking records on yourself, please refer to our How to Submit a Privacy Act Request page for submission instructions and useful tips. We are not accepting Privacy Act requests filed using this online form.

We cannot process your request via this electronic form if you intend to include an attachment. FOIA submissions with attachments should be forwarded instead via the postal service, other commercial delivery means, or by facsimile. Our mailing address for FOIA requests is the following:

Central Intelligence Agency
Information and Privacy Coordinator
Washington, DC 20505

Facsimiles should be addressed to the attention of the Information and Privacy Coordinator and sent to (703) 613-3007.

This system only accepts FOIA submissions electronically; it is not designed to provide replies electronically. CIA replies to you will continue to be sent via the postal service. If you do not include a name and complete postal address, the CIA will be unable to respond. Correspondence will not be made by e-mail. Providing a phone number will allow us to reach you more quickly should we need to follow up on your FOIA request.

FOIA requests submitted outside of regular business hours will be examined on the next business day.

To check on the status of a pending FOIA request, contact the CIA at (703) 613-1287 or use the following postal address:

Central Intelligence Agency
Information and Privacy Coordinator
Washington, DC 20505

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the US seeking notification of whether the CIA maintains a record on you in any non-exempt system of records or non-exempt portion of a system of records, you may provide identifying information and current citizenship status and make a request under the Privacy Act for access to or amendment of all non-exempt records or portions of records. Identification requirements are set forth in CIAʼs published Privacy Act regulations at 32 CFR 1901.13.

EFFECT OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS: In processing a FOIA or Privacy Act request, the Agency shall decline to confirm or deny the existence or nonexistence of any responsive records whenever the fact of their existence or nonexistence is itself classified under Executive Order 13526 or revealing of intelligence sources and methods protected pursuant to section 103(c)(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 or Section 6 of the CIA Act of 1949. The Agency may also decline to confirm or deny records requested under the FOIA to prevent harm to an interest protected by a FOIA exemption if that the Agencyʼs acknowledgement of the existence of responsive records would, itself, harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption.

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