Filing a FOIA Records Request Online (2024)

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. To better understand the CIA information that is potentially available to you, requesters should note the Agency was organized pursuant to the National Security Act of 1947 and its primary mission is the collection and analysis of foreign intelligence for use by our nation’s leadership. The CIA has no police, subpoena, law enforcement, or internal security functions. Additionally, CIA is not a repository for records produced by other federal agencies. For records maintained by other federal agencies, we recommend you visit FOIA.gov, where you will find a list of other FOIAcontacts.

If you are seeking records on yourself, please refer to our How to Submit a Privacy Act Request page for submission instructions, a consent form to help us verify your identity, and useful tips. We are not accepting Privacy Act requests using this online form. Any electronic submission for records on yourself will not be processed and you will not receive a CIA reply.

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 US Postal Service, other commercial delivery means, or by facsimile. Our mailing address for FOIA requests is the following:

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. If you do not include a name and complete postal address, the CIA will not process a request for you. Providing a phone number, which is voluntary, allows us to reach you more quickly should we need to follow up on your FOIA request. Correspondence will not be made by e-mail. CIA replies to you will continue to be sent via the US Postal Service.

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

Do not use this electronic form for inquires on previously submitted FOIA requests. To check on the status of a pending FOIA request, contact the CIA at (703) 613-1287 or use the following postal address:

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.