Requesting access to official information from the federal authorities
The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to obtain information about official information from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and other authorities or to request access to files.
Every person is entitled to this right. It is irrelevant whether you yourself are affected (legally or actually). Please note that fees may be charged for your request.
You can submit your request for access to information online or in writing by post.
Online application:
- Call up the online application on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior will send you the corresponding answer by post or e-mail.
Written application:
- You can submit your application informally.
- Please send your postal application to the relevant authority.
- The authority will send you the relevant reply by post or e-mail.
- Your right to information is restricted, among other things, if the disclosure of the information
- may have a detrimental effect on
- international relations,
- military and other security-sensitive interests of the Bundeswehr,
- internal or external security concerns,
- control or supervisory tasks of the financial, competition and regulatory authorities,
- matters of external financial control,
- measures to protect against unauthorized foreign trade,
- the conduct of ongoing legal proceedings, a person's right to a fair trial or the conduct of criminal, regulatory or disciplinary investigations,
- would violate duties of secrecy or confidentiality or professional or official secrets,
- the necessary confidentiality of international negotiations or the deliberations of authorities would be impaired,
- would affect official decision-making processes, in particular ongoing administrative proceedings, and would jeopardize the success of official measures
- would impair the protection of personal data of third parties,
- trade and business secrets and intellectual property would be jeopardized.
You do not need to submit any documents.
Fees up to a maximum of EUR 500.00 are charged for processing an IFG application (depending on the amount of work involved). The provision of simple information is free of charge.
You do not have to observe any deadlines.
The requested information must be made available to you immediately, i.e. without culpable delay on the part of the authority. As a rule, this means: no later than 1 month after you have requested the information. If this is not possible, you must be informed of the reasons for the delay and the extended deadline.
Forms: no
Online procedure possible: no
Written form required: no
Personal appearance required: no
Confidence level: low
You can lodge an appeal against the decision with the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI) within one month of notification.
Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
17.09.2021
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
