General Counsel on Fee Category for For-Fee FOIA Services (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
| Tracking # |
COW2014000001 |
| Submitted | Dec. 29, 2013 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Michael Morisy
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
All records, including emails, in your agency's Office of General Counsel discussing which fee category is appropriate for requests submitted using request-submitting services for which requesters pay a fee.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Michael Morisy
From: FOIA, USCIS
USCIS has received information submitted from you to the FOIA mailbox. If you are submitting a FOIA request, this courtesy reply does not replace the Acknowledgement Letter which will be sent to you once your request has been scanned into our FOIA processing system. As this reply is automatically generated, do not respond to this notification.
The USCIS FOIA mailbox relates to the Freedom of Information (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) requests for a copy of immigration records (alien files; or petition or application receipt files).
For Status of Pending Applications or Petitions or other Immigration Matters:
The USCIS National Records Center does not process petitions, applications or any other type of benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you have questions or wish to submit documentation relating to a pending application or petition or any other immigration matter, you must contact your local USCIS Office or our National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833). You may also visit www.uscis.gov<http://www.uscis.gov@@ for answers. There is also information on the web-site for scheduling an INFOPASS appointment at your local USCIS office.
If you are outside the United States and need more information concerning United States immigration, please contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
________________________________________________________
Visa/Travel Inquiries:
If you have questions about an F-1, F-3, J-1, M-1, or M-3 Visa, please click on the following link: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/faq.htm.
For other Visa or travel information, please visit www.travel.state.gov@@http://www.travel.state.gov@@.
________________________________________________________
Reports of Fraud or Suspicious Activity:
The email will be forwarded to the appropriate office. To report any suspicious activity call 1-866-347-2423 or www.ice.gov@@http://www.ice.gov> or you may call your local law enforcement or local USCIS office.
_______________________________________________________
How to submit a FOIA Request to USCIS for A Copy of Immigration Records:
You may fill out the G-639 which may be downloaded from http://www.uscis.gov/g-639, for each subject you are seeking records. Please provide a valid mailing address. The completion of this form is optional. Any written format for a Freedom of Information or Privacy Act request is acceptable but the information and signatures requested need to be provided, in order to prevent a delay in processing.
Please provide as much information as possible in block 2. While you are not required to respond to all items in block 2, failure to provide complete and specific information as requested may result in a delay in processing or an inability to locate the record(s) or information requested.
If you are submitting a FOIA request regarding an individual other than yourself, a signed agreement by the subject of the FOIA request is needed authorizing release of that individual's records to you; a signature block is provided on page 2 of the G-639 in block 3. If records requested are for an individual born less than 100 years ago and the individual is deceased, you will need to forward either a death certificate or some type of information showing the individual is deceased.
On page 2 of the G-639, please ensure that the information for the subject of record is provided and that the signature of the subject of record appears in block 4. In block 4, the subject of record may sign under penalty of perjury either under "Executed outside the United States" or "Executed in the United States" OR the signature of subject of record may be notarized.
A request for a specific document will be placed on a faster track than a request for an entire file. There is additional information about the FOIA multi-track system at www.uscis.gov/foia.
You can submit the requests one of the following ways:
Via U.S. Mail to:
National Records Center
FOIA/PA Office
P.O. Box 648010
Lee's Summit, MO 64064-8010
Or: Via Fax: 816-350-5785 or 802-288-1793
Or: Via e-mail by scanning your documents in and attaching them to your e-mail to uscis.foia@dhs.gov<mailto:uscis.foia@dhs.gov>.
_________________________________________________
If you have a FOIA control number, you may check the status of your FOIA request online, at www.uscis.gov/foia. Click on Check Status of Request button and follow the instructions. We process cases on a first in / first out basis. The estimated time posted on the USCIS web site is based on our average processing time in business days as of the date posted and includes all cases closed.
Thank you.
FOIA, USCIS
www.uscis.gov/foia<http://www.uscis.gov/foia>
USCIS.FOIA@dhs.gov<mailto:USCIS.FOIA@dhs.gov>
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thank you for your help.
From: FOIA, USCIS
USCIS has received information submitted from you to the FOIA mailbox. If you are submitting a FOIA request, this courtesy reply does not replace the Acknowledgement Letter which will be sent to you once your request has been scanned into our FOIA processing system. As this reply is automatically generated, do not respond to this notification.
The USCIS FOIA mailbox relates to the Freedom of Information (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) requests for a copy of immigration records (alien files; or petition or application receipt files).
For Status of Pending Applications or Petitions or other Immigration Matters:
The USCIS National Records Center does not process petitions, applications or any other type of benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you have questions or wish to submit documentation relating to a pending application or petition or any other immigration matter, you must contact your local USCIS Office or our National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833). You may also visit www.uscis.gov<http://www.uscis.gov@@ for answers. There is also information on the web-site for scheduling an INFOPASS appointment at your local USCIS office.
If you are outside the United States and need more information concerning United States immigration, please contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
________________________________________________________
Visa/Travel Inquiries:
If you have questions about an F-1, F-3, J-1, M-1, or M-3 Visa, please click on the following link: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/faq.htm.
For other Visa or travel information, please visit www.travel.state.gov@@http://www.travel.state.gov@@.
________________________________________________________
Reports of Fraud or Suspicious Activity:
The email will be forwarded to the appropriate office. To report any suspicious activity call 1-866-347-2423 or www.ice.gov@@http://www.ice.gov> or you may call your local law enforcement or local USCIS office.
_______________________________________________________
How to submit a FOIA Request to USCIS for A Copy of Immigration Records:
You may fill out the G-639 which may be downloaded from http://www.uscis.gov/g-639, for each subject you are seeking records. Please provide a valid mailing address. The completion of this form is optional. Any written format for a Freedom of Information or Privacy Act request is acceptable but the information and signatures requested need to be provided, in order to prevent a delay in processing.
Please provide as much information as possible in block 2. While you are not required to respond to all items in block 2, failure to provide complete and specific information as requested may result in a delay in processing or an inability to locate the record(s) or information requested.
If you are submitting a FOIA request regarding an individual other than yourself, a signed agreement by the subject of the FOIA request is needed authorizing release of that individual's records to you; a signature block is provided on page 2 of the G-639 in block 3. If records requested are for an individual born less than 100 years ago and the individual is deceased, you will need to forward either a death certificate or some type of information showing the individual is deceased.
On page 2 of the G-639, please ensure that the information for the subject of record is provided and that the signature of the subject of record appears in block 4. In block 4, the subject of record may sign under penalty of perjury either under "Executed outside the United States" or "Executed in the United States" OR the signature of subject of record may be notarized.
A request for a specific document will be placed on a faster track than a request for an entire file. There is additional information about the FOIA multi-track system at www.uscis.gov/foia.
You can submit the requests one of the following ways:
Via U.S. Mail to:
National Records Center
FOIA/PA Office
P.O. Box 648010
Lee's Summit, MO 64064-8010
Or: Via Fax: 816-350-5785 or 802-288-1793
Or: Via e-mail by scanning your documents in and attaching them to your e-mail to uscis.foia@dhs.gov<mailto:uscis.foia@dhs.gov>.
_________________________________________________
If you have a FOIA control number, you may check the status of your FOIA request online, at www.uscis.gov/foia. Click on Check Status of Request button and follow the instructions. We process cases on a first in / first out basis. The estimated time posted on the USCIS web site is based on our average processing time in business days as of the date posted and includes all cases closed.
Thank you.
FOIA, USCIS
www.uscis.gov/foia<http://www.uscis.gov/foia>
USCIS.FOIA@dhs.gov<mailto:USCIS.FOIA@dhs.gov>
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: Baugher, Jeffery T
Good Morning Mr. Morisy,
I've attached a copy of the Status letter to your request; you will also be receiving one in the mail. Please let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Baugher
Government Information Specialist
National Records Center
FOIA/PA
816-350-5500 x5-5158
Jeffery.t.baugher@uscis.dhs.gov
SIG …fulfilling the promise of openness
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: MuckRock
Hello,
Please note that this is a separate request from COW20140000001. See below for content of this request, and please assign a separate tracking number and send acknowledgement accordingly.
Thank you.
From: Baugher, Jeffery T
Mr. Morisy,
Do you have a phone number I could call you on?
Jeff Baugher
Government Information Specialist
National Records Center
FOIA/PA
816-350-5500 x5-5158
Jeffery.t.baugher@uscis.dhs.gov
SIG …fulfilling the promise of openness
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: Baugher, Jeffery T
Mr. Morisy,
Both requests will be answered under COW2014000001. Please let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Baugher
Government Information Specialist
National Records Center
FOIA/PA
816-350-5500 x5-5158
Jeffery.t.baugher@uscis.dhs.gov
SIG …fulfilling the promise of openness
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #COW2014000001.
Thank you for your help.
From: Baugher, Jeffery T
Mr. Morisy,
The request was closed February 24, 2014. You should receive our response and responsive records shortly. Please let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you,
Jeff Baugher
Government Information Specialist
National Records Center
FOIA/PA
816-350-5500 x5-5158
Jeffery.t.baugher@uscis.dhs.gov
SIG …fulfilling the promise of openness
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #COW2014000001.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #COW2014000001.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #COW2014000001.
Thank you for your help.
From: Baugher, Jeffery T
Good Morning Mr. Morisy,
The response was received and signed for April 15, 2014. I am attaching the Return Receipt, so you can see who signed for it, I am unable to make out the name. Please let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you.
Jeff Baugher
Government Information Specialist
National Records Center
FOIA/PA
816-350-5500 x5-5158
Jeffery.t.baugher@uscis.dhs.gov
SIG …fulfilling the promise of openness
WARNING: This document is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). This document is to be controlled, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information and is not to be released to the public or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know" without prior approval from the originator.
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