1. Be specific, not broad

"All records about Project MK-Ultra from 1960 through 1965" is a workable request. "Everything about the CIA" will be rejected as unduly burdensome. Specificity earns three things:

• Faster processing — narrower requests go in the "simple track."
• Fewer fees — agencies bill by search hour and per page; smaller scope = smaller bill.
• Better odds of fee waiver approval.

Three good narrowing levers: topic, date range, and office or component within the agency.

2. Use known document identifiers when possible

If you've seen a document cited in a prior release — even a footnote — the case number or document ID is gold. "I request CIA-RDP80B01676R004000110001-7 referenced in [prior release]" is processed far faster than an open-ended topic search.

DeclassDB shows the docId on every result. If you find a relevant document but want a less-redacted version, cite its ID in your request and ask for "a mandatory declassification review."

3. Request fee waivers if you qualify

You qualify if disclosure of the records is in the public interest and you have no commercial interest. Categories that typically qualify:

• News media — journalists, independent reporters, podcasters, documentarians.
• Academic / educational researchers affiliated with a university or institution.
• Non-commercial public-interest organizations.

Template fee-waiver paragraph:

I request a waiver of all fees under 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(A)(iii). I
am [a journalist preparing an article for [outlet] / an independent
researcher / an educator at [institution]]. Disclosure of the
requested records will contribute significantly to public
understanding of the operations or activities of the government,
specifically [explain how — the topic, the audience, the impact].
I have no commercial interest in these records.

If denied, you can appeal the fee determination separately.

4. File parallel requests with every agency that might have records

A foreign-policy event from the 1970s might have records at CIA, State, DoD, the NSC archives at NARA, and possibly FBI. Filing one request takes minutes. Filing six in parallel takes about an hour and dramatically expands what you'll see.

Agencies will often refer documents to each other ("originating agency"). If you file with just one, you may wait months only to be told "go file with State Department instead." Filing in parallel avoids that.

5. Search reading rooms before filing

Most agencies post frequently-requested or previously-released records in a "reading room." DeclassDB indexes these for the CIA today, with FBI / State / NSA / NARA on the roadmap. If your document is already out, you can skip the year-long wait.

Even when a document isn't there, a prior release on the same topic gives you specific identifiers and language to use in your request.

6. Appeal denials — most are partially overturned

Less than 1 in 3 requesters appeals when denied. But of those who do, a majority get something more than they were originally given. Agencies know their initial reviewers err toward over-withholding. See Appeals → for templates.

7. Understand the exemptions before you write

If you're requesting records that will obviously hit (b)(1) classification or (b)(7) law-enforcement protection, frame your request around the parts that won't. Ask for unclassified portions, internal policy guidance, statistical summaries, or non-investigative material.

See Understanding Exemptions → for what each one covers.

8. Know your timelines

Agencies have 20 business days to respond (or 30 with a 10-day extension for "unusual circumstances"). In practice, large agencies routinely miss this. A missed deadline gives you a constructive denial — you can appeal or sue without waiting any longer.

Mark your calendar for day 25. If you have no substantive response, send a polite status inquiry citing the statutory deadline. That single email often unsticks a request.

9. Use OGIS when an agency stonewalls

The Office of Government Information Services ↗ is the FOIA ombudsman. They mediate disputes between requesters and agencies. They're free, they're impartial, and agencies often capitulate when OGIS gets involved. Use them before you sue.

10. Join the FOIA community

You're not alone in this. Useful organizations:

• MuckRock ↗ — request platform with shared best practices and active community.
• National Security Archive ↗ — files thousands of requests per year; their releases are searchable.
• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ↗ — legal help for journalists.
• FOIA.gov ↗ — official cross-agency portal and statistics.