Freedom of Information Act

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Welcome to the U.S. Department of State Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) website. Like all federal agencies, the Department creates and receives records when carrying out its mission. This website provides a wealth of information about the Department’s FOIA program and how to obtain access to the Department’s records, as well as a search tool containingnumerous documents reviewed and released to the public.

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The Department of State administers information access programs including theFreedom of Information Act, thePrivacy Act, and theMandatory Declassification Review programs. These programs can be used to obtain access to a variety of Department records. Find out more about these programs and about what kinds of records and information the Department maintains.

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Prior to making a request for Department of State records, you may wish to find out if the information has already been made publicly available through one of the Department’s searchable online resources:

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Under theFreedom of Information Act (FOIA), thePrivacy Act, orMandatory Declassification Review (MDR) by mail or by fax.

Under the Freedom of Information Act byElectronic Submission.

Please note: Requests forpersonal records require an original signature and cannot be accepted online.

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Department of State Records

The Department of State maintains records dealing with:

Formulation and execution ofU.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 ofNational 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 theVisa 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.