Visitor Access Request Form (VAR): Sponsor, ID, and Submission

A visitor access request form is the paperwork that gets you cleared into a restricted federal building or military installation, and there is no single version — the GSA uses Form 6102, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers use Form 121-00-02, and the ATF uses Form 8620.71. Before you fill anything out, line up a sponsor with credentials at the facility, because without one most agencies will not process your request at all.

Find the Form Your Facility Actually Uses

Submitting the wrong form accomplishes nothing. Each installation or agency publishes its own, and you have to track down the correct one before you do anything else. Check the specific facility’s website or call its visitor control center. Military bases usually list the information under “Visitor Control Center” or “Access Information.” Civilian federal buildings route requests through the regional GSA security office or the agency occupying the space.

If a federal employee, service member, or contracting officer invited you, ask that person which form to use. They will normally email it to you or send a link to a PDF. GSA Form 6102, for example, goes back to the GSA security office by fax or email.¹ The FLETC form has to be completed by both you and your federal employee sponsor before anyone will look at it.²

Get a Sponsor Before You Do Anything Else

Almost every visitor access form requires a sponsor who already holds credentials at the facility and who vouches for you. At the FLETC, the sponsor must be a federal employee who fills out a dedicated section with their name, agency, email, and office phone.² On a military installation, the sponsor is typically an active-duty service member, reservist, retiree, or DoD civilian with a valid DoD ID.

Sponsoring you is not a formality. Your sponsor takes personal responsibility for your conduct on the installation and, in most cases, has to stay with you the entire time you are on-site unless you have been issued a pass that permits unescorted movement. At some bases, one sponsor can escort no more than five visitors at a time.³ If your sponsor does not have a government email address, they may need to submit the request in person at the visitor control center rather than by email.⁴

Information the Form Will Ask For

Although the forms differ, the core information is consistent across agencies. Have all of the following ready before you start:

Your full legal name, exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID, plus any aliases, maiden names, or nicknames.
Your Social Security number. Some forms want all nine digits (FLETC); others want only the last four (GSA). Providing it is technically voluntary under the Privacy Act, but refusing can delay or block your clearance.¹
Date and place of birth: city, state, and country.
Citizenship status. Non-U.S. citizens face additional paperwork and a longer timeline.
Home address, phone number, and email.
Driver’s license number and issuing state.
Employer or agency name, address, and phone, plus a point of contact who can verify your employment.
The purpose and specific dates of your visit. Be concrete. “Attending graduation ceremony” or “vendor delivery, Building 12” is much better than “meeting,” because the reviewing officer uses this to decide what level of access you need.²

Incomplete or inaccurate fields are the most common reason requests stall. The GSA form warns explicitly that incomplete submissions cause delays.¹ Check every field before you send it to your sponsor.

Identification You’ll Present at the Gate

REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, so your state-issued driver’s license or ID card must be REAL ID-compliant to serve as identification at federal facilities.⁵ Look for a gold star or similar marking in the upper corner of the card. If your license does not qualify, a valid U.S. passport or a permanent resident card works instead.⁶ Sponsors are expected to make sure their guests know this before showing up.⁴

How to Submit and How Early

The submission channel depends on the facility. The GSA takes requests by email or fax, using one address for collateral clearance requests and a separate one for SCI-level access.¹ Joint Base Andrews requires email from a government address with a specific subject-line format that includes the visit type and arrival date.⁴ Other installations use online portals or accept paper forms at the visitor control center near the main gate.

Whatever the method, submit early. Each facility sets a minimum lead time:

GSA buildings: at least 2 business days before the visit.¹
Air Force bases (typical): at least 72 hours before arrival.⁴
Army installations: multi-agency vetting can take up to 5 business days.⁷

Those are floors. Submitting a week ahead gives you room if the background check turns up something that needs clarification. Save any confirmation number or reference email you receive.

What Happens After You Submit

Every request triggers a background check through the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index, known as NCIC III. Criminal justice agencies use this database to check criminal histories, active warrants, sex offender registrations, and terrorist watchlist entries.⁸ On Army installations, NCIC III is the baseline screening for anyone who does not already hold a Common Access Card or DoD worker credential.⁹

The installation commander has broad discretion to deny access based on what the check returns. Common grounds for denial include:⁹

Any active arrest warrant in NCIC, regardless of the offense.
Registered sex offender status.
A felony conviction in the past 10 years, regardless of offense type.
Specific serious convictions including sexual assault, armed robbery, child molestation, drug distribution, espionage, treason, terrorism, or murder.
Felony firearms or explosives violations.
A match on the Terrorist Screening Database.
Fraudulent identity or a belief that you submitted false information.
A current bar from another federal installation.

Short-term visitors, such as a one-time guest or graduation attendee, often get only the NCIC check. Vendors, contractors, and anyone needing recurring unescorted access may face a more thorough investigation that includes fingerprinting.²

Escorted vs. Unescorted Access

The form usually asks your sponsor to specify which type of access you need, and that choice affects how deep the vetting goes. Escorted access is the default for casual visitors: your sponsor stays with you, keeps you within visual contact, and is accountable for your conduct.

Unescorted access is a higher trust level. It lets you move through designated areas without a chaperone and triggers a deeper background investigation. At the FLETC, anyone needing unescorted access to buildings, sensitive information, or IT systems must undergo a full background investigation beyond the standard NCIC check.² Some military installations issue Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) cards to long-term visitors and contractors who need recurring unescorted access.¹⁰ Getting a DBIDS card means providing biometric data, typically a photograph and fingerprints, at an enrollment station.¹¹

If You’re Not a U.S. Citizen

Foreign nationals face a longer and more involved process. Most military installations require the sponsor to submit the request 15 to 30 working days before arrival to allow time for additional vetting.¹² At some Air Force installations, the window opens as early as three months out and closes 30 days before the visit; miss the deadline and you will not get in.

You will generally need to provide a copy of your passport, and your request will be routed through a counterintelligence office (AFOSI for Air Force bases, for example) for additional screening. Nationals of certain countries face heightened scrutiny or may be barred from specific installations entirely. At the FLETC, non-U.S. citizens must complete a separate DHS form (Form 11055 or 11059) in addition to the standard visitor access request.²

If Your Request Is Denied

A denial does not always mean you have a disqualifying record. Sometimes the NCIC check flags someone with a similar name. DoD policy recognizes two paths for challenging a denial:¹³

Redress, used when the disqualifying record actually belongs to someone else with similar name or identifying details. You provide additional biographic or biometric information to prove you are not that person.
Appeal, used when the record is yours but you believe extenuating or mitigating circumstances warrant an exception. The installation commander decides whether to grant access despite the record.

To start either process, contact the installation’s security office directly. At the Pentagon, that is the PFPA Security Services Division.¹⁴ At Army installations you can request an access denial waiver; Fort Lee, for example, asks that waivers be submitted at least 14 business days before your planned arrival.¹² Your sponsor can usually help you find the right point of contact.

1
General Services Administration. GSA 6102 – Passing Visit Authorization Letter/Request
2
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. Visitor Access Request
3
Facebook. Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Post
4
Joint Base Andrews. Visitor Control Center
5
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
6
USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel
7
U.S. Army Fort Riley. Visitor and Access Information
8
United States Department of Justice. National Crime Information Systems
9
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan. About Background Checks
10
Vance Air Force Base. Visitor Control Center
11
DBIDS Global Enrollment. DBIDS Pre-Enrollment
12
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee. Visitor Information
13
DoD. DoD Installation Access Guide
14
PFPA. Plan Your Visit