25 CFR 700.271 – Requests for notification of existence of records: Submission
(a) Submission of requests. (1)(i) An individual desiring to determine under the Privacy Act whether a system of records contains records pertaining to him shall address his inquiry to the system manager having responsibility for the system unless the system notice describing the system prescribes or permits submission to some other official or officials.
Terms Used In 25 CFR 700.271
- Act: means section 3 of the Privacy Act, 5 U. See 25 CFR 700.257
- individual: means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. See 25 CFR 700.257
- system manager: means the official designated in a system notice as having administrative responsibility for a system of records. See 25 CFR 700.257
- system notice: means the notice describing a system of records required by 5 U. See 25 CFR 700.257
- System of records: means a group of any records under the control of the Commission from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. See 25 CFR 700.257
(ii) If a system notice describing a system requires that an individual contact more than two officials concerning the existence of records in the system, an individual desiring to determine whether the system contains records pertaining to him may contact the system manager for assistance in determining which official is most likely to be in possession of records pertaining to that individual.
(2) If an individual desires to determine whether records pertaining to him are maintained in two or more systems, he shall make a separate inquiry concerning each system.
(b) Form of request. (1) An inquiry to determine whether a system of records contains records pertaining to an individual shall be in writing.
(2) To insure expeditious handling, the request shall be prominently marked, both on the envelope and on the face of the request, with the legend “PRIVACY ACT INQUIRY.”
(3) The request shall state that the individual is seeking information concerning records pertaining to himself and shall supply such additional identifying information, if any, as is called for in the system notice describing the system.
(4) If an individual has reason to believe that information pertaining to him or her may be filed under a name other than the name he or she is currently using (e.g., a maiden name), he or she shall include this information in the request.