You need your C-File. Someone says file a FOIA. Someone else says Privacy Act. Those are different asks on the same paper. VA Form 20-10206 is one form. Privacy Act is your own file. FOIA is a public records ask.
What it actually is
VA Form 20-10206 (revision August 2023) is Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) Request. VA.gov’s page (updated July 7, 2026) is a stub: the form name, a PDF link, and an online tool. That is the whole page. The supporting forms hub (updated August 17, 2026) adds one line: use it to access your military, compensation, pension, or benefits records. It never prints the split.
The August 2023 PDF is the list. The split is one sentence: Privacy Act is records about you in a System of Records. FOIA is a public right to ask for agency records.
- Privacy Act (PA) — a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident asking for access to (or amendment of) records on herself or himself from a System of Records. The PDF’s examples: personal Claims Files (C-File), educational loan, and beneficiary records. PA identity on the instructions page: full name, date of birth, place of birth, current mailing address, and a handwritten signature. SSN or Alien Registration number helps VA find the file.
- FOIA — the public right to request access to records from Federal agencies, except records protected by the nine FOIA exemptions. That is not the same as “my own C-File.”
- One form — 20-10206 covers both. The paper does not invent a second form number for C-File vs FOIA. The boxes do.
Section I is you. If you are seeking information on yourself, complete Sections I, III or IV, VI, VII, and VIII (and VI when it applies).
Section II is someone else. If you are seeking information on a person other than yourself, complete Sections II, III or IV, V, VII, and IX or X (and VI when it applies). Items 13–16 name the person whose records you want.
Section III is compensation and pension records. Check what you actually need:
- Claims File (C-File)
- Service Treatment Records / Military Treatment Records
- DD Form 214
- Disability Examinations (C&P exams) — put the exam date in Section VI Remarks when you have it
- Pension benefit documents
- Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)
- Other (specify)
Section IV is all other benefit records: Veteran Readiness and Employment, fiduciary, education, financial (specify in Remarks), home loan, life insurance (policy number in Remarks), or other.
Section VII is fees — FOIA only splits requesters into three fee categories: commercial (search, review, photocopy); educational / non-commercial scientific / news media (photocopy after the first 100 pages); all other requesters (photocopy after the first 100 pages, plus search time beyond two hours). VA lists $0.15 per single-sided page for photocopying. You fill how much you are willing to pay. Fee waiver language is on the PDF if the ask is in the public interest and not primarily commercial.
Section VIII is your signature in ink and the date. Required.
Section IX is third-party. Valid only if Section II is filled and the requester authorized a third party. A third-party signature will not be accepted unless a valid VA Form 21-0845 is of record or attached. A third party may be a family member or other designated person who is not a Power of Attorney, agent, or fiduciary. Talk permission is the 21-0845 vs 21-4142 split already live on CombatProse. 0845 is not this records request.
Section X is Power of Attorney. Valid only if Section II is filled and the requester authorized POA representation. A POA signature will not be accepted unless a valid VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a is of record or attached. That appointment is not 20-10206. It is not a signature-on-an-application form. Do not mix a representative appointment with a records ask.
Where paper Privacy Act requests go: Centralized Support Division / Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. Toll-free phone 1-800-827-1000. Toll-free fax (844) 531-7818. The instructions say all Privacy Act requests must be sent to that address. Online is faster when the tool is up — screenshot the confirmation.
This form is only for military records or a veteran’s benefit records. It is not a blank ask for every VA system. It is not permission for VA to talk to your spouse. It is not a VSO appointment.
Do this today
- Pick the ask. Your own C-File, STR/MTR, DD214, C&P exams, pension docs, or OMPF is Privacy Act on this form. A public-records ask that is not your own System of Records file is FOIA on this form. Same paper. Different meaning.
- Open Section I or Section II. Yourself = Section I. Someone else = Section II, then name them in Items 13–16.
- Check Section III or IV. Mark only the boxes you need. Put exam dates, policy numbers, and “other” detail in Section VI Remarks.
- If you are not the veteran: attach 21-0845 for a third party (Section IX), or 21-22 / 21-22a for a POA (Section X). Without that paper on file or attached, the third-party or POA signature will not be accepted.
- Sign in ink. Section VIII for you. Section IX or X only when that path applies. Date it.
- File online when you can. Use the tool linked from VA Form 20-10206. Screenshot the confirmation. A saved draft is not on file.
- If you must mail a Privacy Act request: Centralized Support Division, Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. Paper is the date VA receives it, not the postmark. Certified mail with return receipt is how you prove receipt. Keep a copy. Fax line on the PDF: (844) 531-7818.
Official pages: 20-10206, supporting forms, FOIA, privacy. PDF: VBA-20-10206-ARE (August 2023). Call 1-800-827-1000 (TTY 711) or Ask VA. The rest of the official pile is on Veteran Resources.
Keep the confirmation, the Section III boxes, and any 21-0845 or 21-22 that rode with it in one place. A claims organizer is enough — VA Disability Claim Tracker. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, CombatProse may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
What people get wrong
“I’ll FOIA my C-File.” Your own Claims File is a Privacy Act ask on 20-10206. FOIA is the public-records path. Same form. Wrong label slows people who never open the PDF.
“FOIA and Privacy Act are two different forms.” One form. 20-10206. The sections pick the path.
“My spouse can just request my file.” Section II plus Section IX. A valid 21-0845 must be of record or attached. Without it, the third-party signature will not be accepted.
“My VSO already has 21-22, so they don’t need anything else.” Section X still needs 21-22 or 21-22a of record or attached to this request. The appointment is not automatic ink on 20-10206.
“I’ll leave Section III blank and write ‘everything’ in Remarks.” Check the boxes. C-File, STR/MTR, DD214, C&P exams, pension docs, OMPF, or other. Vague “everything” is how intakes bounce.
“I filed 21-4142, so VA already has my records.” 21-4142 / 21-4142a authorize VA to pull non-VA medical records for a claim. That is not you requesting your C-File. The 4142 vs 4142a split is a different job.
“Privacy Act mail can go to any regional office.” The instructions say all Privacy Act requests must go to the Centralized Support Division address on page 1. Online when you can. That mailbox when you must paper.
“I’ll skip the fee box because it’s my own file.” Section VII is on the form. Read the three FOIA fee categories. Fill what you are willing to pay when the path is FOIA. Do not invent a waiver you did not request.
One paper. Your own file is Privacy Act. A public records ask is FOIA. Section I or Section II. Not a talk form. Not a VSO appointment.