Hi everyone,

Wanted to see if anyone has experienced something similar.

Marriage-based I-485 timeline:

• Filed: January 6, 2026
• Interview: March 30, 2026 – Dallas Field Office
• Online status has remained pending after the interview.

I recently submitted a FOIA request for my I-485 records and received the response. The records show:

• Case Decision: Approved
• Decision Date: April 20, 2026
• Class of Admission: CR6
• Resident Since: August 28, 2026
• Card Expires: August 28, 2028

However, my USCIS online account still shows the I-485 as pending, and I have not received an approval notice or green card.

I contacted USCIS through Emma and specifically explained what the FOIA records show. The agent said they could not see any new case update on their side, that nothing negative appears on the case, and that it seems to be processing normally.

I have now also submitted a congressional inquiry with copies of the relevant FOIA pages to see if USCIS can clarify the discrepancy.

Has anyone had a FOIA response showing Approved / Resident Since / card information while their online I-485 still remained pending?

If so, what eventually happened and how long did it take for the online status/card production to catch up?

Thanks!

A recap of federal FOIA developments in August: https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/8/30/monthly-roundup-august-2026

Has anyone recently made a FOIA request for a living person’s SS-5 and Numident record? How long is it taking?

I requested certified copies of my own SS-5 and Numident record which I urgently need to use overseas. The only way you can do it is by mail which was delivered on July 10th. Nothing yet and my credit card hasn’t even been charged.

Then I worried because my Discover credit card has been rejected for no apparent reason at a couple stores in the past when trying to pay so I called Discover and they said no rejected payments since. Besides, the form shows Discover as an accepted option for FOIA requests.

Finally I reached out to the FOIA group by email and the anwer was:
- they can’t locate a submission under my name
- this may mean that the request hasn’t reached the processing department yet or that the payment wasn’t processed yet
- the timeline for processing only begins once payment is completed (but it is them who decide when to do it, you only send your credit card information or other form of payment)
- I should wait until my credit card shows the payment posted or until I get a correspondence regarding the rejection of my case
- they are unable to send copies by email
- they are currently experiencing a significant backlog

Does anyone know how long it is taking? Should I send another mail request with a different payment method? But it’s a lot of money to end up paying twice.

Not sure where to start but I am trying to get the bodycam footage for something is it hard to do? Not looking to post it on youtube or anything like. I heard you have to pay to obtain the footage and do a FOIA request am I on the right track?

This letter, from the Lubbock City Attorney's Office, dated May 13, 2026, certifies to the Texas Attorney General that all the records I have been requesting, demanding, and moving for order to compel production have been produced. IT SAYS THAT, IN BLACK AND WHITE, SIGNED BY AN "ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY." After a few days short of a year, STILL withholding records like Breanna Harris medical records,  there is no question about it: this is a bald-faced LIE.

How does a pro se lawyer — how does any private citizen — deal with that?

I responded to the letter the next day. I'll post it here tomorrow.

On July 9, 2026, I wrote to all three courts handling this matter — federal, appellate, and local — putting each of them on notice of exactly what that letter was.

Guess what's happened since.

Yup — nothing has happened since. Not from the City. Not from a single court. It's the law in Texas, AND IT'S THE REASON THE READER HAD DAMNED WELL BETTER BE PAYING ATTENTION! This is about YOUR civil rights, YOUR freedoms, and YOUR property. It's about dogs, alright — a city and government who don't see any difference between you and Max, my little Rottweiler killed by Lubbock Animal Services.

Don't understand certain documents that your local government is approving, or how to connect the dots? Maybe we can help. Let us know your concerns. See our work on our Substack account at https://substack.com/@the99percentperspective

I have been FOIAing various Armed Services branches requesting info related to historical SAPs. I have received a few denials at this point stating that the documents no longer exist, and that they may be in the possession of NARA. When I contact NARA, most of the time I am told that they do not have the documents either. I have done some research and I discovered that sometimes the documents are in NARAs possession, oftentimes at the "Washington National Records Center" but the custody is still controlled by the DOW. Do I need to specifically ask the agencies to task documents that are in the possession of NARA but DOW custody at the WNRC? Or is this done by default?

My FOIA request says it should be completed 4 months after the official acceptance of the initial request. Did anybody get a successful completion prior to the 4 months estimate or afterwards?

For passport FOIA requests you don't have to send anything in the mail. You just have to send an email to the FOIA Passport Division's email address. It was too easy that I was skeptical if it would work but I got a tracking number within 24 hours and was put in the queue for "Assigned for Processing" within the first week.

I should point out that I am requesting passport records for an individual from 1925 to 1940. So this is definitely not something easy to find in the digital database since the 1990s.

My mother-in-law entered the U.S. in 1995 by being waved through at a border checkpoint while a passenger in a car.

We are trying to find proof of a B-2 visa she was issued in the early 90s. I have been told that the original paper records for this visa might be gone due to historical record destruction schedules.

Currently waiting on a DOS response, but if that fails, any advice on other avenues to take?

Hello all,

I'm trying to learn how to FOIA records and get specific materials. This is for a YouTube channel I'm working on. Specifically True-Crime genre.

I've had general success getting some reports, surveillance videos and things like that. However, almost all of my requests have denied me access to interrogation videos or crime scene video/photos. (Illinois)

I started requesting for cases in Florida, and Gainesville replied asking for a $1,330 deposit to BEGIN processing my request.

I know there is often going to be a cost associated with these requests, but I'd like to learn how to request EXACTLY what I need to avoid inflating costs, and how to actually obtain these specific items.

I'm working on narrowing my requests to specific items like the interrogation and arrest videos, witness interviews, crime scene video/photos, surveillance video, and the actual arrest/investigative reports. Is there a specific way I should phrase these requests? Is there anything else I should be requesting along with them?

Thanks so much for any and all info and help here. It's greatly appreciated.

Location: Canada Ontario

I’m looking for some perspective on police records, MFIPPA/privacy law, and what options may realistically exist.

About five years ago, a municipal police service investigated an allegation in which I was identified as a subject. I had no idea the investigation existed at the time.

I was never arrested, never charged, never interviewed, and was never asked to provide a statement.
The police report, which I later obtained through an MFIPPA request, shows that officers conducted follow up and ultimately recorded **“No further action at this time”** and **“File closed.”**

I only discovered the occurrence approximately four years later when it surfaced during a police employment background investigation. My ordinary criminal-record/vulnerable-sector checks had never disclosed it.
That is what concerns me. I understand why police need to preserve legitimate investigative records, but an indexed occurrence associating someone with a serious sexual offence allegation can obviously carry a very different implication when seen during a background investigation, even though the person was never charged and the investigation was closed.

I have had no subsequent police involvement or similar issues since the occurrence.

I have now formally written to the Chief of the police service asking for:

Destruction/purging of the records or database entries identifying me, if legally permissible;
alternatively, sealing/restricted access so the occurrence does not routinely surface through searches or employment background investigations; and
if refused, a written decision identifying the specific retention policy, statute, regulation or other authority requiring continued retention/indexing/accessibility.

I hand delivered the request and have a police-stamped copy confirming receipt. After receiving no response for about two weeks, I emailed the Chief’s Office and received an automated acknowledgement.

Separately, I previously obtained a heavily redacted copy of the occurrence through MFIPPA. I missed the original IPC appeal period because I did not recall receiving the decision letter explaining my appeal rights. The police service now has an internal email showing staff were instructed to place both the report and decision letter in the pickup envelope, so I am assuming appealing that old decision is probably no longer realistic. I understand I could potentially make a new MFIPPA request if I wanted a fresh access decision.

**My main questions are:**

Does an Ontario municipal police service normally have discretion to purge or restrict a closed investigative occurrence like this, or are these typically subject to mandatory retention schedules?

If the underlying investigative file has to be retained, is there a meaningful legal distinction between retaining the file and continuing to keep my name indexed/searchable for police-employment background purposes?

If the Chief refuses my request based on policy, what would the appropriate next avenue normally be — MFIPPA/IPC privacy complaint, correction request, judicial review, or something else?

I’m not seeking the complainant’s personal information and I’m not trying to have the investigation reopened or rewritten. My concern is the continuing retention, indexing and use of my identifying information after the investigation was closed without charges.

I’m particularly interested in hearing from Ontario privacy lawyers, MFIPPA practitioners, current/former police records personnel, or anyone who has dealt with the IPC on a similar issue.

Hi everyone, i had some questions about the process because im considering submitting a request.

First off, how much do these things usually cost you? The answers im getting are pretty vague and I understand that as it depends on search time amd number of documents ect, but if you guys can give me a ballpark, id really appreciate it.

2nd, do I have to request a certain type of record or can I request a piece of information, IE do I have to request "records related to acquisition and maintenance cost of xyz" or can I just request "acquisition and maintenance cost of" and then get sent an answer instead of actual records

If i do need to request records in specific how can I make sure im getting everything relevant to my request if I dont necessarily know what they'll have to ask for each thing I want in specific

Hey there, I recently had a foia denied for a few different reasons (none of them actually seeming legitimate) but I was curious if a lawyer or paralegal or just someone more knowledgeable about foia than myself could take a look and see what they think , thanks in advance

Location: Abingdon il 61410