80 FR 18923 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Affidavit of Relationship

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 67 (April 8, 2015)

The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals and organizations. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18923-18924]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08127]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9087]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Affidavit of 
Relationship

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. 
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are 
requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals 
and organizations. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for 
public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to June 
8, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct any comments on this request to Sumitra Siram, 
Program Officer, Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees 
and Migration, Office of Admissions, 2025 E Street NW., Washington DC, 
20522.
    You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web: Persons with access to the Internet may comment on 
this notice by going to www.Regulations.gov. You can search for the 
document by entering ``Docket Number: DOS-2015-0015'' in the Search 
field. Then click the ``Comment Now'' button and complete the comment 
form.
     Email: [email protected].
     Regular Mail: Send written comments to: PRM/Office of 
Admissions, 2025 E Street NW., 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20255-0908.
     Fax: (202) 453-9393, Attention: Sumitra Siram.
    You must include the DS form number (if applicable), information 
collection title, and the OMB control number in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents, to Sumitra Siram, Program Officer, PRM/Office of 
Admissions, 2025 E Street NW., Washington DC, 20522-0908, who may be 
reached on 202-453-9250 or at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
     Title of Information Collection: Affidavit of 
Relationship.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0206.
     Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: Office of Admissions, Bureau of 
Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM/A).
     Form Number: DS-7656.
     Respondents: Persons admitted to the United States as 
refugees or granted asylum in the United States who are claiming a 
relationship with family members overseas (spouse, unmarried children 
under age 21, and/or parents) in order to assist the U.S. Government in 
determining whether those family members are qualified to apply for 
admission to the United States via the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program 
under the family reunification access priority.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 2,500.
     Average Time per Response: 60 Minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 2,500.00 Hours.
     Frequency: On occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a 
Benefit.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public record. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.
    Abstract of proposed collection: The Affidavit of Relationship 
(AOR) will be required by the Department of State to establish 
qualifications for access to the Priority-3 (P-3) Family Reunification 
category of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) by 
persons of certain nationalities who are family members of qualifying 
``anchors'' (persons already admitted to the U.S. as refugees or who 
were granted asylum in the United States., including persons who may 
now be lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens). Qualifying family 
members of U.S.-based anchors include spouse, unmarried children under 
age 21, and parents. Eligible nationalities are determined on an annual 
basis following careful review of several factors, including the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' annual assessment of refugees 
in need of resettlement, prospective or ongoing repatriation efforts, 
and U.S. foreign policy interests. The P-3 category, along with the 
other categories of cases that have access to USRAP, is outlined in the 
annual Proposed Refugee Admissions--Report to Congress, which is 
submitted on behalf of the President in fulfillment of the requirements 
of section 207(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1157), and authorized by the annual Presidential Determination for 
Refugee Admissions. Having an AOR filed on a potential applicant's 
behalf by an eligible anchor relative will be one of the criteria for 
access to this program. The AOR also informs the anchor relative that 
DNA evidence of all claimed parent-child relationships between the 
anchor relative and parents and/or unmarried children under 21 will be 
required as a condition of access to P-3 processing and that the costs 
will be borne by the anchor relative or his/her family members who may 
apply for access to refugee processing, or their derivative 
beneficiaries, as the case may be. Successful applicants may be 
eligible for reimbursement of DNA test costs.
    Methodology: This information collection currently involves the 
limited use of electronic techniques. Anchors in the United States may 
visit any resettlement agency throughout the United States to complete 
the AOR. Resettlement agencies are organizations that work under a 
cooperative agreement with the Department of State. In order to file an 
AOR, an individual must be at least 18 years of age and have been 
admitted to the United States as a refugee or granted asylum in the 
United States no more than five years prior to the filing of the AOR. 
The DS-7656 form will be available electronically and responses will be 
completed electronically with the aid of resettlement agency staff. 
Completed AORs will be printed out for ink

[[Page 18924]]

signature by the respondents and will be scanned and submitted 
electronically to the Refugee Processing Center (RPC) by the 
resettlement agencies for downloading into the Worldwide Refugee 
Admissions Processing System (WRAPS) for data entry and case 
processing. A signed paper copy of the AOR will remain with 
resettlement agencies.

    Dated: April 2, 2015.
Simon Henshaw,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees 
and Migration, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2015-08127 Filed 4-7-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-33-P