80 FR 72591 - Elimination of Visa Page Insert Service for U.S. Passport Book Holders

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 224 (November 20, 2015)

Page Range		72591-72592
FR Document		2015-29618

On April 29, 2015, the Department of State published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed eliminating the visa page insert service for regular fee passport book holders beginning January 1, 2016. The Department is finalizing the proposed rule without change.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 224 (Friday, November 20, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 224 (Friday, November 20, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72591-72592]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29618]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Parts 22 and 51

[Public Notice: 9350]
RIN 1400-AD76


Elimination of Visa Page Insert Service for U.S. Passport Book 
Holders

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On April 29, 2015, the Department of State published a notice 
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed eliminating the visa page 
insert service for regular fee passport book holders beginning January 
1, 2016. The Department is finalizing the proposed rule without change.

DATES: This rule is effective January 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Holly, Passport Services, 
Bureau of Consular Affairs; 202-485-6373: PassportRules@state.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On April 29, 2015, the Department of State published a NPRM that 
proposed eliminating the visa page insert service for regular fee 
passport book holders beginning January 1, 2016. See 80 FR 23754. As 
explained in the NPRM, the effective date of this rule coincides with 
when the Department expects to begin issuing an updated version of the 
Next Generation Passport book. The primary reason for eliminating visa 
page inserts is to protect the integrity of the Next Generation 
Passport books. Further discussion of the reasons for the rule is in 
the NRPM.

Public Comments

    The Department received only one public comment in response to the 
notice of proposed rulemaking. The following analysis addresses the 
comment.
    The commenter expressed concern that eliminating visa page inserts 
would be a considerable inconvenience. The commenter wrote that due to 
the extent of his travels, eliminating visa page inserts would require 
him to renew his passport every three or four years, even if he is 
issued the larger 52-page passport book. The commenter also wrote that 
running out of visa pages in his passport would cause some of his 
multi-year visas to expire, requiring him to renew his visas early or 
possibly carry his expired U.S. passport until the visas in it expire.
    The Department recognizes that eliminating visa page inserts may 
pose an inconvenience to a very small number of U.S. passport holders 
whose travel requires the issuance of multiple visas. The Department 
has a policy in place to permit the issuance of a second regular fee 
passport to individuals who require their first passport books for 
travel while their visa applications are pending with foreign 
governments. (See 7 FAM 1310 Appendix R c(2) http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/94669.pdf).
    The commenter questioned if visa page inserts present a genuine 
security concern. As described in the NPRM, an interagency working 
group studied the issue and determined that the elimination of visa 
page inserts added value to the security features of visa page inserts 
that far outweighed the inconvenience caused by the elimination of this 
service, for which there is very limited demand.
    Finally, the problems the commenter describes are very rare among 
U.S. passport holders. The average U.S. passport holder uses six or 
fewer visa pages. Ninety-seven percent of all U.S. passport holders 
will have used 17 pages or less by the time they renew their passports. 
Less than one percent of U.S. passport holders will have used more than 
32 pages when they renew their passports. On average, people who apply 
for visa page inserts for a U.S. passport do so seven years after the 
passport was issued and 17 percent of these individuals had the smaller 
passport book to begin with. Accordingly, while the Department 
certainly understands the commenter's concerns, it still expects the 
overall impact of this rule on U.S. passport holders to be minimal, and 
to be outweighed by the security concerns discussed in the NPRM.

Regulatory Findings

    The Regulatory Findings included in the NPRM are incorporated 
herein. See 80 FR at 23755.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Parts 22 and 51

    Consular services, Fees, Passports and visas.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Department of State 
amends 22 CFR parts 22 and 51 as follows:

PART 22--SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR CONSULAR SERVICES--DEPARTMENT OF 
STATE AND FOREIGN SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 22 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  8 U.S.C 1101 note, 1153 note, 1183a note, 1351, 1351 
note, 1714, 1714 note; 10 U.S.C. 2602(c); 11 U.S.C. 1157 note; 22 
U.S.C. 214, 214 note, 1475e, 2504(a), 4201, 4206, 4215, 4219, 6551; 
31 U.S.C. 9701; Executive Order 10718, 22 FR 4632; Executive Order 
11295, 31 FR 10603.


Sec.  22.1  [Amended]

0
2. The table in Sec.  22.1 is amended by removing and reserving item 
2c.

PART 51--PASSPORTS

0
3. The authority citation for part 51 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  8 U.S.C. 1504; 18 U.S.C. 1621; 22 U.S.C. 211a, 212, 
213, 213n (Pub. L. 106-113 Div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(7) [Div. A, Title 
II, Sec. 236], 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A-430); 214, 214a, 217a, 218, 
2651a, 2671(d)(3), 2705, 2714, 2721, & 3926; 26 U.S.C. 6039E; 31 
U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 652(k) [Div. B, Title V of Pub. L. 103-317, 
108 Stat. 1760]; E.O. 11295, Aug. 6, 1966, FR 10603, 3 CFR, 1966-

[[Page 72592]]

1970 Comp., p. 570; Sec. 1 of Pub. L. 109-210, 120 Stat. 319; Sec. 2 
of Pub. L. 109-167, 119 Stat. 3578; Sec. 5 of Pub. L. 109-472, 120 
Stat. 3554; Pub. L. 108-447, Div. B, Title IV, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 
Stat. 2809; Pub. L. 108-458, 118 Stat. 3638, 3823 (Dec. 17, 2004).


0
4. In Sec.  51.20, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  51.20  General.

    (a) An application for a passport, a replacement passport, or other 
passport related service must be completed using the forms the 
Department prescribes.
* * * * *

0
5. In Sec.  51.56, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  51.56  Expedited passport processing.

    (a) Within the United States, an applicant for passport service 
(including issuance or replacement of a passport) may request expedited 
processing. The Department may decline the request.
* * * * *

    Dated: November 12, 2015.
David T. Donahue,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-29618 Filed 11-19-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-06-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 224 / Friday, November 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 72591

the currently FDA-recognized editions FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Finally, the problems the commenter
of ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993–1, Michael Holly, Passport Services, describes are very rare among U.S.
‘‘Biological Evaluation of Medical Bureau of Consular Affairs; 202–485– passport holders. The average U.S.
Devices—Part 1: Evaluation and Testing 6373: PassportRules@state.gov. passport holder uses six or fewer visa
Within a Risk Management Process,’’ SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: pages. Ninety-seven percent of all U.S.
ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993–5, ‘‘Biological passport holders will have used 17
Evaluation of Medical Devices—Part 5: Background pages or less by the time they renew
Tests for In Vitro Cytotoxicity,’’ and On April 29, 2015, the Department of their passports. Less than one percent of
ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993–10, ‘‘Biological State published a NPRM that proposed U.S. passport holders will have used
Evaluation of Medical Devices—Part 10: eliminating the visa page insert service more than 32 pages when they renew
Tests for Irritation and Skin for regular fee passport book holders their passports. On average, people who
Sensitization’’) must validate that the beginning January 1, 2016. See 80 FR apply for visa page inserts for a U.S.
skin-contacting components of the 23754. As explained in the NPRM, the passport do so seven years after the
device are biocompatible; effective date of this rule coincides with passport was issued and 17 percent of
(7) Appropriate analysis and non- when the Department expects to begin these individuals had the smaller
clinical testing (such as that outlined in issuing an updated version of the Next passport book to begin with.
the currently FDA-recognized editions Generation Passport book. The primary Accordingly, while the Department
of IEC 62304, ‘‘Medical Device reason for eliminating visa page inserts certainly understands the commenter’s
Software—Software Life Cycle is to protect the integrity of the Next concerns, it still expects the overall
Processes’’) must validate the software Generation Passport books. Further impact of this rule on U.S. passport
life cycle and that all processes, discussion of the reasons for the rule is holders to be minimal, and to be
activities, and tasks are implemented in the NRPM. outweighed by the security concerns
and documented; Public Comments discussed in the NPRM.
(8) Appropriate analysis and non-
clinical testing must validate that the The Department received only one Regulatory Findings
device components are found to be non- public comment in response to the The Regulatory Findings included in
flammable; notice of proposed rulemaking. The the NPRM are incorporated herein. See
(9) Appropriate analysis and non- following analysis addresses the 80 FR at 23755.
clinical testing must validate that the comment.
battery in the device (if applicable) The commenter expressed concern List of Subjects in 22 CFR Parts 22 and
performs as intended over the that eliminating visa page inserts would 51
anticipated service life of the device; be a considerable inconvenience. The Consular services, Fees, Passports and
and commenter wrote that due to the extent visas.
(10) Adequate patient labeling is of his travels, eliminating visa page
For the reasons stated in the
provided to the user to document proper inserts would require him to renew his
preamble, the Department of State
use and maintenance of the device to passport every three or four years, even
amends 22 CFR parts 22 and 51 as
ensure safe use of the device by the if he is issued the larger 52-page
follows:
patient in the intended use passport book. The commenter also
environment. wrote that running out of visa pages in PART 22—SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR
his passport would cause some of his CONSULAR SERVICES—
Dated: November 16, 2015. multi-year visas to expire, requiring him
Leslie Kux, DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND
to renew his visas early or possibly FOREIGN SERVICE
Associate Commissioner for Policy. carry his expired U.S. passport until the
[FR Doc. 2015–29633 Filed 11–19–15; 8:45 am] visas in it expire. ■ 1. The authority citation for part 22
BILLING CODE 4164–01–P The Department recognizes that continues to read as follows:
eliminating visa page inserts may pose
Authority: 8 U.S.C 1101 note, 1153 note,
an inconvenience to a very small 1183a note, 1351, 1351 note, 1714, 1714 note;
DEPARTMENT OF STATE number of U.S. passport holders whose 10 U.S.C. 2602(c); 11 U.S.C. 1157 note; 22
travel requires the issuance of multiple U.S.C. 214, 214 note, 1475e, 2504(a), 4201,
22 CFR Parts 22 and 51 visas. The Department has a policy in 4206, 4215, 4219, 6551; 31 U.S.C. 9701;
[Public Notice: 9350] place to permit the issuance of a second Executive Order 10718, 22 FR 4632;
regular fee passport to individuals who Executive Order 11295, 31 FR 10603.
RIN 1400–AD76 require their first passport books for
§ 22.1 [Amended]
travel while their visa applications are
Elimination of Visa Page Insert Service ■ 2. The table in § 22.1 is amended by
pending with foreign governments. (See
for U.S. Passport Book Holders removing and reserving item 2c.
7 FAM 1310 Appendix R c(2) http://
AGENCY: Department of State. www.state.gov/documents/organization/
94669.pdf). PART 51—PASSPORTS
ACTION: Final rule.
The commenter questioned if visa
SUMMARY: On April 29, 2015, the ■ 3. The authority citation for part 51
page inserts present a genuine security
Department of State published a notice continues to read as follows:
concern. As described in the NPRM, an
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that interagency working group studied the Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1504; 18 U.S.C. 1621;
proposed eliminating the visa page issue and determined that the 22 U.S.C. 211a, 212, 213, 213n (Pub. L. 106–
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES

insert service for regular fee passport elimination of visa page inserts added 113 Div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(7) [Div. A, Title II,
book holders beginning January 1, 2016. Sec. 236], 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–430); 214,
value to the security features of visa 214a, 217a, 218, 2651a, 2671(d)(3), 2705,
The Department is finalizing the page inserts that far outweighed the 2714, 2721, & 3926; 26 U.S.C. 6039E; 31
proposed rule without change. inconvenience caused by the U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 652(k) [Div. B, Title
DATES: This rule is effective January 1, elimination of this service, for which V of Pub. L. 103–317, 108 Stat. 1760]; E.O.
2016. there is very limited demand. 11295, Aug. 6, 1966, FR 10603, 3 CFR, 1966–

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Document Created: 2015-12-14 13:58:46
Document Modified: 2015-12-14 13:58:46

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Rules and Regulations
Action		Final rule.
Dates		This rule is effective January 1, 2016.
Contact		Michael Holly, Passport Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs; 202-485-6373: [email protected]
FR Citation		80 FR 72591
RIN Number		1400-AD76
CFR Citation		22 CFR 22 22 CFR 51
CFR Associated		Consular Services; Fees and Passports and Visas