OBT AINING GOVERNMENT REC ORDS
When you are gathering documents, you may want to get criminal records or immigration records. This guide will
help you request records from the FBI, Immigration Court, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
(USCIS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and ICE. These are often called Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requests. The chart below will help you determine which records you may need and where to get them. The
procedures for each request are explained below the chart.
What you are looking for:
Where to request information:
General arrest records, background check
FBI
Immigration Court records (If you have been in
Immigration Court)
EOIR
General immigration records
USCIS
Border Patrol records (For stops at the border or if you
were removed at the border)
CBP
ICE records (If ICE arrested you)
ICE
State or county specific records
Iowa Courts Online, local police or sheriff’s office,
courthouse you went to
FB I BAC KGR OUN D C HE C K
WHAT INFORMATION IS IN A FBI BACKGROUND CHECK?
An FBI Background Check tells you when an arrest occurred,
why the arrest occurred, and the results of the arrest. State
agencies do not always forward arrest information to the FBI, so
the FBI background check may be incomplete.
How do I get this information?
1.
Fill out the “Applicant Information Form,” available at this address:
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/identity-history-summarychecks/submitting-an-identity-history-summary-request-to-the-fbi
2.
Get fingerprinted by your local police office, using the FD-258
Fingerprint Card, found here: http://www.fbi.gov/aboutus/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks/fd-258-1
3.
Submit $18 payment to the FBI by credit card or money order. Credit
cards are processed with the “Credit Card Payment Form” found here:
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/identity-history-summarychecks/credit-card-payment-form. Money orders, should be
Call your local sheriff or police office to
made out to “Treasury of the United States.”
find out what identification they require
4.
Mail the signed Applicant Information Form, fingerprint card,
and $18 payment to this address:
FBI CJIS Division – Summary Re quest
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306
to do fingerprints, what days and time
fingerprints are done, and what the cost
is. For example, the Johnson County
Sheriff’s Department charges $20 for
fingerprints and only does it on
Tuesdays.
E OIR IMMIGR AT ION C OU RT REC OR DS R E QUE ST
What information is in Executive Office of
Immigration Review Court Records?
Records from Immigration Court, including any
deportation orders.
How do I get this information?
1.
Write a request for court records, including:
a.
Your full name
b. Any aliases
c.
The location of the Immigration Court
you appeared
d. Your A-number (if applicable)
2.
See document to the right for an example of
what to write.
3.
Fill out the “Certification of Identity Form”
found at:
http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/oip/legacy/2014/07/23/cert_ind.pdf
Where do I mail or e-mail my Request and
Certification?
Email: [email protected]
Mail: U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Office of General Counsel - FOIA Service
Center
FOIA/Privacy Act Requests
5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 1903
Falls Church, Virginia 20530
It is free to make the request.
U SCIS GE NE RA L IMMIG RAT ION R EC OR DS RE QUE ST
What information is included in USCIS General
Immigration Records?
If you or your attorney has filed anything with USCIS, a
Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request will show
what information USCIS has about you. If you are the
beneficiary of family petition, you may need permission
from your family member who is petitioning for you
before making a FOIA request. Information about USCIS
FOIA requests is available at:
http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/freedom-information-andprivacy-act-foia/how-file-foia-privacy-act-request/howfile-foiapa-request
How do I get this information?
Fill out Form G-639, available at:
http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/g639.pdf
Where do I send my completed G-639?
National Records Center
P.O. Box 648010
Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64064-8010
Requesting information from USCIS through Form G-639 may cost up to $25.
C B P BOR DE R PA TR OL RE C OR DS RE QUE ST
What information is included in CBP Border Patrol Records?
Records from of stops at the border, arrests while attempting to cross the border, or deportation from the border.
How do I get this information?
Fill out a request on the
CBP website:
http://www.cbp.gov/sitepolicy-notices/foia
For more information on
Freedom of Information
Act Requests, please visit:
https://help.cbp.gov/a
pp/answers/detail/a_id
/1729/~/how-tosubmit-a-foia-request
You will have to fill in a form that looks
like the form to the right:
ICE AR RE ST RE C OR DS
What information is included in ICE Arrest Records?
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest records are usually from arrests that happen beyond the border.
How do I get this information?

For mail, fax, or email requests:
1.
Fill out Form G-639, available at:
http://www.ice.gov/doclib/about/pdf/g639.pdf.
2.
Be sure to include a daytime phone number so that ICE can contact you.
3.
Mail the request to:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Freedom of Information Act Office
500 12th Street, S.W., Stop 5009
Washington, D.C. 20536-5009
Or, you can email your request to: [email protected].
Or, you can fax your request to: (202) 732-4265.

You can also submit a request
online
1. Go to the website:
http://www.ice.go
v/foia/submit and
click on “submit
the FOIA Request
form.”
2. Complete the
online form.
C RIMINA L BAC KG R OU N D C HEC KS
What information is in a State Criminal Background Check?
State criminal and civil offenses that may have immigration consequences can be found by doing a criminal
background check in all the states you have lived in.
How do I get this information?
A basic background check, not including expunged of sealed convictions (which still have immigration
consequences), can be found by using Iowa Courts Online, found here: https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us. A guide
on how to use Iowa Courts online can be found on our website at: www.ailp.law.uiowa.edu.
You can request a full criminal history that includes all convictions by mail, fax, or in person.
To request a criminal history check by mail or fax:
1. Complete a “Criminal History Request Form” & “Criminal History Billing Form” found here:
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/supportoperations/crimhistory/obtain_records.shtml.
2. Include a copy of your current Driver’s License or other photo ID and a personal check or money order for $15
payable to the “Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.”
3. Mail your completed request to the address listed on the form or fax the request to 515-725-6080.
To request a criminal history check in-person:
1. Go to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 215 East 7th St., Des Moines, Iowa 50319 between 8:00 a.m.
& 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.
1.
Let them know you would like to request a copy of your criminal history.
3. You will need your Driver’s License or other form of photo ID & a $15 personal check or money order payable to
the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.