Who can file a FOIA request?

Under the federal Freedom of Information Act, almost anyone can file a request. The right of access is broad and deliberately low-barrier.

Who is eligible

“Any person” may make a FOIA request, which includes:

• Individuals — U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike.
• Organizations — non-profits, advocacy groups, and associations.
• Journalists and media organizations.
• Businesses, including companies seeking records about competitors or regulators.
• Researchers and academics.

Notably, you generally do not need to be a U.S. citizen or resident to file a federal FOIA request, and you don’t have to explain why you want the records (though stating a purpose can affect fee categories).

What you do need

A valid request must:

• Reasonably describe the records sought, so the agency can locate them with a reasonable effort.
• Be sent to the correct agency — FOIA applies to federal executive-branch agencies, each of which handles its own requests (it does not cover Congress, the federal courts, or state/local governments).
• Comply with the agency’s procedural requirements (format, fee agreement, etc.).

A few limits

FOIA covers federal agencies only. Records of state and local governments are obtained under each state’s own public-records law, which may restrict requests to state residents. And while almost anyone can request records, what gets released is still subject to the nine exemptions.

The takeaway: FOIA is designed to be accessible to the public at large. If you can describe the federal records you want and send the request to the right agency, you can file — and the agency must respond.