How to Get Your FBI File

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Thanks to the Freedom of Information and Privacy acts, we're all entitled to see what the FBI has on us.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Paper and pen
A notary public

Step 1: Make contact

Make contact. The FBI website provides form letters which you can download and complete, or you can write your own letter.

Step 2: State your rights

If you are writing your own letter, begin by stating your right to the file via the Freedom of Information and Privacy acts.

Tip: In order to get all the information available, be sure to cite both acts in your request, as each act covers different areas.

Step 3: Provide personal information

Next, include the following personal information: full name, aliases, current address, previous addresses, date of birth, place of birth, contact phone numbers, and social security number.

Step 4: Get it notarized

Sign the letter and have your signature notarized—this is very important!

Step 5: Mail

Mail the letter to: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Record Information/Dissemination Section, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843

Step 6: Be patient

Be patient! It takes several weeks for your letter to go through security checks and be passed along to the FBI.

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[peacekkqmark]

I'll put mine on my Facebook profile

[geppegep]

thumbs if you thought this was something you can just get this online

[humzyfoweva]

@ursulajoni15 now that I think of it like that... its pretty freaky!... :-S

[legoboracho237]

HowCast is SUCH a know it all

[ursulajoni15]

@alphakid42 they have a file on every citizen

[RL968]

@alphakid42 they do, so it dosn't matter 

[alphakid42]

But how does a person know if the FBI has a file on them?

[saiaddict]

how did they get my address, phone ,and city at 0:34 :(

[BradySayre]

@Tubetheweb Thanks. Your Rite:)

[Tubetheweb]

@BradySayre i don't see why they would not. i can see no harm in trying regardless of your age, in my opinion. what's the worst that can happen? they can either send your request back to you and say they wouldn't keep files on kids or something. who knows. just my opinion.

[Tubetheweb]

@icewhipRox just sign it. i just signed mine and there were no problems as far as i know. if there is a problem when you send your request, i am sure they would send it back to you to fix if they had problems with the signature or some other aspect of your request or documentation that you submit when requesting if you have a FBI file. Just my opinion.

[Tubetheweb]

@Simpliey im from Australia and when i sent mine a while ago they could find no records relating or about me. guess i was not of interest to them. ah well. maybe you should try sending a request to see if you have a file and see what response you get.