I want to file my own
Use the free guide and agency finder to get your request ready without checkout.
Start with the free guideFederal FOIA request help
Get the federal records you asked for.
A clean FOIA request packet you can send today: right agency, specific records language, fee cap, format preference, and a tracker for every agency response.
Not a government agency. You always control signature, identity checks, official fees, account logins, attestations, and final submit.
Agency finder
Use official FOIA.gov agency/component paths.
Use official FOIA.gov agency/component paths.
Request draft
Plain-English letter with safe placeholders.
Plain-English letter with safe placeholders.
Source links
FOIA.gov, DOJ OIP, and agency references attached.
FOIA.gov, DOJ OIP, and agency references attached.
Tracker
Log confirmations, fee notices, denials, and deadlines.
Log confirmations, fee notices, denials, and deadlines.
Who this is for
Pick the amount of help you want.
I'll give my AI the steps
The $3 DIY Agent Kit gives your assistant a real FOIA playbook instead of a one-shot prompt.
Buy the kitWrite it for me
The $10 packet fills the letter from your answers. The $15 Complete path adds agency routing research.
Start CompleteFour steps
FOIA gets easier when the request is specific.
Pick the agency
Start with the federal agency or component most likely to hold the record.
Describe the records
Name the topic, date range, office, keywords, people, case numbers, or formats you know.
Add fee language
Set a fee cap, request advance notice, and add fee-waiver language when it fits.
Send it yourself
We generate the email or submission instructions. You press send in the agency email, portal, or mail path.
Save every response
Track confirmations, clarifications, fee estimates, denials, redactions, and appeal deadlines.
Keep control
Signature, identity proof, official fees, accounts, and final submit always stay with you.
Visible pricing
Start free. Upgrade only for the file, the typing, or the research.
Free Guide
How to file a FOIA request yourself
A 5-minute walkthrough of the four steps: pick the right agency, describe the records, add fee language, and send it.
- FOIA.gov agency finder path
- Fee basics and request checklist
- No checkout
$3 DIY Agent Kit
Give your AI a real FOIA playbook.
A markdown + JSON spec for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or Hermes: routing logic, records prompts, fee-category selection, format boilerplate, segregable-portions clause, and a tracker template.
- You paste it into your assistant
- You answer the questions
- Your LLM drafts a letter you can send
$10 Filled-out Packet
A pre-filled request letter, ready to send.
Answer 6-8 short questions. We fill in the agency line, fee language, fee cap, format preference, contact block, and records description. You review, edit, copy, and send.
- PDF + editable source
- Review before submitting
- Official fees paid separately
$15 AutoFlow Complete
We write it, you press send.
You tell us what you want. We pick the right agency or component, draft the records description, add fee language and source citations, and hand you a request you can send.
- Agency routing research included
- Customer-controlled submission
- Not legal advice or appeals work
Agency coverage
Built for federal FOIA paths.
Common targets include DOJ, FBI, DHS components such as USCIS, ICE, CBP, and OBIM, plus DoD, EPA, Treasury, HHS, State Department, and FDA. Agency-specific details are checked against official sources before fulfillment.
Find the right agency in 60 seconds
Answer four questions: who the records are about, roughly when, federal or state, and any known office/component.
Start agency finderEmail or skip. No paywall.
State records?
FOIA is federal. If your record is held by a state, county, court, DMV, or vital-records office, we route you away from the federal FOIA packet.
What this does not do
Clear boundaries before you pay.
- We are not a law firm or government agency.
- We do not file the request for you.
- We do not store sensitive records on our servers by default.
- We do not promise the agency will release records.
Three things to know
Built for clear boundaries, not government impersonation.
We're not a government agency.
Bureaucratic is a service by AutoFlow that helps you understand, draft, and submit your own request. You always stay in control of the signature, identity checks, official fees, account logins, attestations, and the final send button.
We're not your lawyer, and this isn't legal advice.
If you need representation, an appeal, or a denial reversed, we route you to the agency's administrative appeal path or to a licensed attorney. We don't file those for you.
Official fees stay official.
Agency search and duplication fees are passed through separately. We do not mark up agency fees. We do not collect them on behalf of the agency.
Privacy by design.
We store the source-citation hashes, the agency-routing logic, and your request status — not the body of your request letter. You can delete your record at any time.
Last checked 2026-07-11.
Launch claims were checked against FOIA.gov and DOJ Office of Information Policy guidance. Agency-specific claims get a fresh check before fulfillment.
Credit policy pending.
Digital-goods refund or credit policy must be published before broad paid checkout promotion. Until then, checkout copy should stay conservative.
Official-source provenance
Public claims stay tied to official sources.
Agency-specific claims require a fresh official-source check before fulfillment. This launch page stores source hashes instead of raw requester PII.
SourceWhat it supportsChecked
FOIA.gov — How to make a FOIA requestFOIA requests go to agencies; requesters should identify the agency and describe the records sought.2026-07-11
FOIA.gov — agency/component searchAgency/component selection for federal requests.2026-07-11
FOIA.gov — FAQGeneral FOIA education, fees, timing, and process boundaries.2026-07-11
DOJ Office of Information Policy FOIA guidanceRequest description, fees, requester duties, response handling concepts.2026-07-11
USCIS Form G-639 pathDHS/USCIS personal-record routing needs separate agency-form handling.2026-07-11
FAQ
FOIA basics before you checkout.
Will I get the records?
Nobody can promise that. FOIA offices can deny, redact, or say “no responsive records.” Our job is to give you a request that is more likely to clear procedural problems.
How long does it take?
Federal agencies are generally required to acknowledge within 10 business days and respond within 20, but extensions are common and complex searches take longer. The tracker keeps a record of every deadline.
Why isn't this free?
The free guide is free. The $3 kit is a one-time template. The $10 packet does the typing. The $15 path includes the research. Choose what you need; do not pay for what you do not need.
Is it legal / are you a lawyer?
We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice. We help you draft a request that follows FOIA.gov guidance. If you need legal representation, we route you to attorneys.
What if I get denied?
Federal agencies must tell you why and offer an administrative appeal path. Our tracker captures denial reasons. Appeal drafting would be a separate follow-up, not part of this FOIA page.
What about fees?
The first 2 hours of search and 100 pages of copying are often free for “all other” requesters. If fees might go higher than $25, agencies generally ask first. We suggest fee cap and fee-waiver language when appropriate.
Will the agency contact me?
Yes. They need your contact info to clarify scope, give fee estimates, or send the response. We give you a tracker to log everything you receive.
Will you store my records?
No by default. We store the routing decision, source hashes, and request status, not the body of your letter. You can delete the record any time.