22 C.F.R. § 212.8 – Time limits.

(a) In general. The component's FOIA office ordinarily will respond to requests according to their order of receipt.
(b) Multitrack processing.
1. (1) The component's FOIA office shall designate a specific track for requests that are granted expedited processing, in accordance with the standards set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. The component's FOIA office may designate additional processing tracks that distinguish between simple and more complex requests based on the estimated amount of work or time needed to process the request. Among the factors the component's FOIA office may consider are, the number of pages involved in processing the request and the need for consultations or referrals. The component's FOIA office shall advise requesters of the track into which their request falls and, when appropriate, shall offer the requesters an opportunity to narrow their request so that it can be placed in a different processing track.
2. (2) The component's FOIA office shall generally process requests in each track on a “first-in, first-out” basis.
(c) Unusual circumstances. Whenever the statutory time limit for processing a request cannot be met because of “unusual circumstances,” as defined in the FOIA, and the component's FOIA office extends the time limit on that basis, the component's FOIA office shall, before expiration of the 20-day period to respond, notify the requester in writing of the unusual circumstances involved and of the date by which processing of the request can be expected to be completed. Where the extension exceeds 10 working days, the component's FOIA office shall, in the written notice, notify the requester of the right to contact the component's FOIA office's FOIA Public Liaison, or seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). In addition, the component's FOIA office shall, as described by the FOIA, provide the requester with an opportunity to modify the request or arrange an alternative time period for processing.
(d) Aggregating requests. For the purposes of satisfying unusual circumstances under the FOIA, the component's FOIA office may aggregate requests in cases where it reasonably appears that multiple requests, submitted either by a requester or by a group of requesters acting in concert, constitute a single request that would otherwise involve unusual circumstances. The component's FOIA office shall not aggregate multiple requests that involve unrelated matters.
(e) Expedited processing.
1. (1) Requests and appeals shall be processed on an expedited basis whenever it is determined that they involve:
  1. (i) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited processing could reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual;
  2. (ii) An urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged Federal Government activity, if made by a person who is primarily engaged in disseminating information;
  3. (iii) The loss of substantial due process rights; or
  4. (iv) A matter of widespread and exceptional media interest in which there exist possible questions about the government's integrity that affect public confidence.
2. (2) A requester who seeks expedited processing must submit a statement, certified to be true and correct, explaining in detail the basis for making the request for expedited processing. For example, under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section, a requester who is not a full-time member of the news media must establish that the requester is a person whose primary activity or occupation is information dissemination, though it need not be the requester's sole occupation. Such a requester also must establish a particular urgency to inform the public about the government activity involved in the request—one that extends beyond the public's right to know about government activity generally. The existence of numerous articles published on a given subject can be helpful in establishing the requirement that there be an “urgency to inform” the public on the topic. As a matter of administrative discretion, the component's FOIA office may waive the formal certification requirement.
3. (3) The component's FOIA office shall notify the requester within 10 calendar days of the receipt of a request for expedited processing of its decision whether to grant or deny expedited processing. If expedited processing is granted, the request shall be given priority, placed in the processing track for expedited requests, and shall be processed as soon as practicable. If a request for expedited processing is denied, any appeal of that decision shall be acted on expeditiously.