Meaning of OBIM FOIA
OBIM- Office of Biometric Identity Management
FOIA- Freedom Of Information Act
To file for FOIA, you will have to pass through OBIM and that’s why they are related. Stay tuned
Meaning Of FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified in 5 U.S.C. 552, is federal legislation that compels the disclosure of previously unreleased information and records held by the United States government upon request. The act defines the records that must be disclosed by agencies, explains required disclosure procedures, and specifies nine exclusions to the law. The purpose of the legislation was to make the functions of US government agencies more open so that the American public could more quickly identify problems with government functioning and put pressure on Congress, agency employees, and the president to remedy them.
The Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) grants everyone access to certain federal government information.
When someone is applying for a job, It is not only beneficial, but it is often vital to the viability of an immigration benefit or removal defence. The individual’s case for a copy of specific documents, For instance, the individual may require the services of a physician.
Department Of Homeland Service
DHS is an agent who is in charge of processing any kind of FOIA request. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a government organization that maintains the most up-to-date immigration-related records. This is because DHS has several components dedicated solely to immigration. The most crucial aspects of immigration U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“USCBP”), have been established for these objectives.
An immigration file (sometimes known as an “A-file”) is kept by DHS.
Because USCIS, CBP, ICE, and OBIM are the key government components that store immigration records, this practice advice will lead you through how to make a FOIA request with them. A FOIA request is, nevertheless, a possibility for any federal government department.
Filing a FOIA Request
You have numerous options for submitting your OBIM FOIA requests and they are;
The main steps are
Please call the offices at 702 737 7717 to schedule an appointment to handle your FOIA or do a criminal record search. Check there Monday through Friday, 9:00 a. m. to 4:00 p. m. You may be required to make a card with your fingerprints in some circumstances. As part of the process, this operation will be performed in our offices. You must first determine which component has the documents you need before filing a FOIA request. You can visit the official DHS website if you’re having problems deciding where to send your request. Check the OBIM FOIA logs first to make sure the records haven’t previously been released.
Email Request
If you want to submit your FOIA request via email, please click here and one of our agents will contact you via email to begin the process. The technique costs $200.00 for each FOIA request. Government expenses are not included in the procedure’s cost. The majority of government offices do not charge, although there are notable exceptions.
Online Forms
Send your request to foia-obim@hq.dhs.gov or fill out the online form. To submit your request, go to the DHS online submissions page.
Note: Submitting a FOIA request letter is the most dependable way to get OBIM public documents. For a timely response, DHS gives instructions on what information to submit, you should make sure to check it out
Cost of a FOIA Request
The price of FOIA-related services varies depending on your category and the intricacy of your request. Commercial requesters are responsible for the costs of document finding, review, and duplication
The following are the service fees:
Fees for processing FOIA requests at the Department of Homeland Security are $4/15 minutes for a clerical search and reviewSearch and review by a professional — $7/15 minutes$10. 25/15 minutes for a managerial search and review Duplication 10 cents per page.
The freedom of Information Act is very important as it allows for some records of a person which no one knows about to be released. It may be filed because of many reasons. There are many convenient ways to file a FOIA request and the fees are still minimal so you do not have to worry but just go for it. Do not forget that processing of your FOIA request is only done through OBIM which is under the Department of Homeland Service.
When was OBIM FOIA created?
It was created around 1994 to be a subdivision under the Department of Homeland Services.
What does OBIM do?
They are in charge of Biometric analysis, search and storing it for the Department of Homeland Services.
How long does an OBIM FOIA take?
It will take about 20 working days before you get back a response.
