How to Find My FBI File
You may request FBI files related to you through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. The FOIA pertains specifically to files about organizations, historical events, investigations and government policies. The Privacy Act pertains to private information about you which may only be disclosed with the proper waiver. The two acts are similar but have different exemptions, and so when seeking information about oneself an individual should file a request that cites both acts. You're only likely to have a file if you have been under investigation by the FBI at some point.
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Instructions
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Submit an FOIA or Privacy Act Request by Letter
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Gather your personal information, including current address, former address, full name, aliases or former names, date of birth, place of birth and social security number.
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Search the FBI's website at fbi.gov to locate the addresses for FBI field offices from which you would like to request records in addition to their main headquarters (some records are kept only at field offices). A list of field offices is available from the FBI's website.
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Compose a simple letter requesting your records under the Freedom of Information Act or the Privacy Act as they apply to you. Specify that you are requesting copies of all files, correspondence or other records that concern you. Include each piece of personal information to assist in the search. You may also enclose a photocopy of your current driver's license or passport as an additional reference.
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Have your letter notarized by a public notary, or simply state in the letter, "Under penalty of perjury, I hereby declare that I am the person named above and I understand that any falsification of this statement is punishable under the provisions of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 1001 by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment of not more than five years, or both; and that requesting or obtaining any record(s) under false pretenses is punishable under the provisions of Title 5, U. S. C., Section 552a(i)(3) as a misdemeanor and by a fine of not more than $5,000."
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Download, print and complete U.S. Department of Justice Certification of Identity Form DOJ-361, available from the FBI's website.
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Compile your letter, the completed Form DOJ-361 and your driver's license photocopy and mail to FBI headquarters. The main FBI address for records requests is: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attn: FOI/PA Request, Record/Information Dissemination Section, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843. Address any copies of your letter sent to FBI field offices to their Freedom of Information Officer.
Submit an eFOIA Request
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Visit the FBI's FOIA site and download the eFOIA form. The FOIA applies to all records created or received by the FBI or currently under its control and can be used to request information about an organization, a business, an investigation, a historical event, an incident, or a group related to you or someone else. The eFOIA form should not be used to submit Privacy Act requests for information about yourself as an individual or another living person.
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Describe the records you are looking for. Records may take the form of personnel files, rap sheets, criminal identification records and other investigative files.
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Fill in information about yourself that describes whether you are acting as an individual or on behalf of a company or other organization. This information is used to determine your fee schedule. Fill in information about whether you agree to pay any associated fees and the maximum amount you are willing to pay. This step expedites processing.
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Complete information about your name, organization, address, phone number, fax number, and email address. Fill in information on a secondary address if applicable.
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Click "Submit" to send your eFOIA request electronically. You may also click "Print Page" to create a hard copy for yourself.
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Tips & Warnings
Once you've submitted your request, wait for your letter of acknowledgment from the FBI. This letter should come within 10 to 20 days and state that your request has been received and is in process. Your file should arrive within three to four months, although larger files may take up to nine months to arrive.
The first 100 pages of your file are available for free, and at a cost of $.10 per page after that. You may also request an FBI file for a deceased person if needed using a form available from the FBI's website. Information on other living individuals is generally not disclosed without consent. You can also request records on destroyed files related to you, as well as cross-referenced files that mention you.
The FBI was not established until 1908 and has very few records prior to the 1920s, so you may not find be able to find records from the early part of the 20th century that apply to you.
References
Resources
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