FOIA data-help me plz

[together4evr 360]

I am thinking of writing for a FOIA-Freedom of information Act

It says this request an take 4-6 months and can cost 300 dollars or more. Also need beneficiarys original signature giving me permission to get this information sent to me.

But it says they need me to ask for specific records or they will not send it even if it is important to explain what they are looking at for my husbands file.

Here is what I think I need to request...Is there anything else?

Central Foreign Policy File-All telegrams sent or received by DOS. All written correspondence, notes, request, conversations and documents from other agencies

LOT FILES-collection of records generated by offices in the Dept of State

POST FILES-the records of US Embassies, Consulates and other diplomatic missions abroad

All visa requests

Background check results

Name check results

Any Hits on name-HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE WORDED??

Please help me figure out what I need to request so I get all the information that might be the reason for his AP?

If anyone has submitted a FOIA form before can you please share your letter?

Thank you for you time and assistance

[together4evr 360]

thanks

Edited February 12, 2012 by togetherforever13

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

It might be a mistake to inquire so early. The FIOA request will mean they need the file to gether the information to respond to the request which means that the file won't be at the embassy to finish AP until after the FOIA request is done. This could delay any progress for 6 months to over a year because of your own actions and then it would still need to go through AP and he would need new medical and police reports. Just be patient. AP in many ocuntries runs several months and yours is only a month old.

[together4evr 360]

I would still like to hear answers from people who have experience with this. I have friends and maybe others would appreciae the information. I have read alot on VJ about it but all it says is that it takes forever.

I want to know what exactly to request and what information you got back from the FOIA?

I know my husband has been in AP for a whole 24 days.... I have a long way to go before I would file anything.

But I do like to be prepared for the worst.

Thanks for all responses

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

There is a user Sara she may be able to help, her SO was Indian , but never got here , they really went through the wringer.

[belinda63 3,039]

It would really depend on what you are hoping for an outcome. Do you want the AP finished or are you just curious as to what is actually checked and done? AP is required for some countries and for others it is because of the name, travel records, employment of education, maybe even a family member's job, the bank they use, charities they donated to, social clubs, etc. Think six degrees of Bacon when dealing with someone from a MENA country, he may have an associate who has an associate who is tied to a questionably person. My now spouse was placed back into AP because he had the bad luck to travel Europe in early 2001 and they had to check to see if he had any associations with the 9/11 associates of associates.

To request a FOIA on his file would slow things down and only possibly satisfy your curiosity. Most of the things you would be requesting would be redacted or denied due to national security reasons or confidentiality (Remember what happened when Wikileaks released all those telegrams/memos?). Best to let things run their course and do the FOIA after the visa is in hand.

[together4evr 360]

It would really depend on what you are hoping for an outcome. Do you want the AP finished or are you just curious as to what is actually checked and done? AP is required for some countries and for others it is because of the name, travel records, employment of education, maybe even a family member's job, the bank they use, charities they donated to, social clubs, etc. Think six degrees of Bacon when dealing with someone from a MENA country, he may have an associate who has an associate who is tied to a questionably person. My now spouse was placed back into AP because he had the bad luck to travel Europe in early 2001 and they had to check to see if he had any associations with the 9/11 associates of associates.

To request a FOIA on his file would slow things down and only possibly satisfy your curiosity. Most of the things you would be requesting would be redacted or denied due to national security reasons or confidentiality (Remember what happened when Wikileaks released all those telegrams/memos?). Best to let things run their course and do the FOIA after the visa is in hand.

Thank you belinda63. I wish I could find your old posts when you went through all this. But I guess things over 1 year untouched get deleted on VJ from your profile

Mostly I am just curious. I am not worried yet in my husbands case. He has never been out of his country and he has an education. I would love to know everything they find or what they are searching for. Plus I love educating myself about everything in this process. But, I find that I am not successful in researching AP things. Impossible for me. I find the general stuff we all already know. You told me more in this thread then I have found online!

Thanks again

If you have a link of one of your threads can you send it to me so I can read about your experiences?

[together4evr 360]

There is a user Sara she may be able to help, her SO was Indian , but never got here , they really went through the wringer.

Thank you for all the info Nigeriaorbust. I appreciae it. I offline sara cause I cannot find all her info. I seen her profile which had a summary of her 5 yr engagement

Thanks again