Your VA Claims File (C-File) — What Is In It and How to Get a Copy
Your VA claims file, usually called the C-file, is the record VA keeps of your claims. It holds the evidence VA gathered or received, the decisions it made and the correspondence between you and VA. Reviewing it is one of the most useful things you can do before a Supplemental Claim, a Higher-Level Review or a Board appeal, because it shows what evidence the decision-maker had.
This guide draws on VA's FOIA and records request page, the VA.gov page for VA Form 20-10206 and the form itself, all read on October 28, 2026. What those pages say is attributed to VA.
What is usually in it
A C-file commonly includes your service treatment and personnel records, VA medical records, private medical records you submitted or VA obtained, C&P examination reports and Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), buddy statements and your own statements, correspondence between you and VA (including notices and development letters), and rating decisions and appeal documents.
Files for veterans with long claims histories can run to thousands of pages. Size is the reason to read it methodically rather than a reason to skip it.
How to request it
VA's FOIA and records request page sorts requests into labeled boxes. Under Veterans Benefits Administration, the box for "Requests for C-File, Service and C&P exams" leads to "Submit a VBA Privacy Request." The same page warns that "Submitting a FOIA request to obtain personal records (i.e. Privacy Act records request) could delay overall processing." In other words, your own C-file is requested as a Privacy Act request, not a general FOIA request.
VA's form for this is VA Form 20-10206, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) Request. VA.gov lists the revision date as August 2023 and offers an online tool in place of the paper form. The form says it is used only to request military records or a veteran's benefit records, and it names personal claims files (C-File) as an example of Privacy Act records.
| Point | What VA Form 20-10206 says |
|---|---|
| Record types you can check | Claims file (C-file), service treatment records or military treatment records, DD Form 214, disability examinations (C&P exams), pension benefit documents, Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), other |
| Identity for a Privacy Act request | Your full name, date of birth, place of birth, current mailing address, and a handwritten signature. Including your Social Security number or A-number helps VA locate the records |
| Where paper Privacy Act requests go | The Centralized Support Division address on the form |
| Someone signing for you | A third party, such as a family member, signs only if a valid VA Form 21-0845, Authorization to Disclose Personal Information to a Third Party, is of record or attached. A power-of-attorney representative signs a separate section, which needs a VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a of record or attached |
An accredited representative who holds your power of attorney may also be able to see your file. Ask your representative what access they have before filing a separate request.
How long it takes
Processing times vary with the size of the file and the workload. If you expect to need the file for a review or an appeal, request it early. VA's FOIA page suggests keeping a record of your submission confirmation.
What to look for
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Your own submissions | Every document you sent is actually in the file |
| Examination reports | Each C&P report and DBQ, including any you have not seen before |
| Notices | Development letters and any notice that VA could not obtain records (38 CFR 3.159(e)) |
| Favorable evidence | Evidence that supports your claim but is not discussed in the decision |
| Missing records | Records you know exist that are not there, such as treatment at a VA medical center or a private provider you named |
If something is missing
If a document you sent is not in the file, send it again, and keep a copy of what you sent and the date you sent it. The mailing instructions on VA Form 21-4142 describe sending correspondence electronically as the fastest method of receipt and point to VA.gov's evidence upload page.
If service or other federal records are missing, VA must keep requesting them until it concludes they do not exist or further requests would be futile, and then tell you. The service records guide explains that rule, the 1973 NPRC fire and how records are reconstructed. For private records, see the guide to private medical records and VA Form 21-4142.
Other records you can get from VA
VA.gov's records page lists several things that do not need a C-file request: downloading benefit letters such as an award letter, checking payment history, reviewing and printing documents from your official military personnel file, and setting up a personal health record to download VA medical records, reports and images.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a C-file request a FOIA request or a Privacy Act request?
For your own file, a Privacy Act request. VA Form 20-10206 names personal claims files (C-File) as an example of Privacy Act records, and VA's FOIA page warns that submitting a FOIA request to obtain personal records could delay processing.
What form do I use to request my C-file?
VA Form 20-10206, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) Request. VA.gov offers an online tool in place of the paper form, and VA's FOIA page routes C-file requests to "Submit a VBA Privacy Request."
Can someone else request my C-file for me?
VA Form 20-10206 says a third-party signature, such as a family member's, is not accepted unless a valid VA Form 21-0845, Authorization to Disclose Personal Information to a Third Party, is of record or attached. A representative with your power of attorney signs a separate section, which needs a VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a of record or attached.
Do I need my C-file to file an appeal?
No form requires it, but reading it shows what evidence the decision-maker had and what was missing, which helps you choose a review option and decide what new evidence to submit.