83 FR 43951 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Application for Nonimmigrant Visa

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 167 (August 28, 2018)

The Department of State has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. 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 30 days for public comment.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43951-43952]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18594]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 10503]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Application for 
Nonimmigrant Visa

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of 
proposed collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval. 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 
30 days for public comment.

DATES: Submit comments directly to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) up to September 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments to the Department of State Desk Officer in 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). You may submit comments by the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. You must include the 
DS form number, information collection title, and the OMB control 
number in the subject line of your message.
     Fax: 202-395-5806. Attention: Desk Officer for Department 
of State.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
     Title of Information Collection: Application for 
Nonimmigrant Visa.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0182.
     Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Visa 
Office (CA/VO).
     Form Number: DS-160 and DS-156.
     Respondents: All Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,000,000.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 14,000,000.
     Average Time per Response: 90 Minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 21,000,000 Annual Hours.
     Frequency: Once per respondent's application.
     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 Online Application for Nonimmigrant Visa (DS-160) is used to 
collect biographical information from individuals seeking a 
nonimmigrant visa. The consular officer uses the information collected 
to determine the applicant's eligibility for a visa. Form DS-156 is 
required by regulation of all nonimmigrant visa applicants who do not 
use the Online Application for Nonimmigrant Visa (Form DS-160). Posts 
will use the DS-156 in limited circumstances when the DS-160 is 
unavailable, as outlined below, to elicit information necessary to 
determine an applicant's visa eligibility.

Methodology

    The DS-160 will be submitted electronically over industry standard 
encryption technology to maintain a secure connection to the Department 
via the internet. The applicant will be instructed to print a 
confirmation page containing a bar coded record locator, which will be 
scanned at the time of processing. The Nonimmigrant Visa Application 
(DS-156) paper version will be used only in the following limited 
circumstances when applicants cannot access the DS-160:
     An applicant has an urgent medical or humanitarian travel 
need and the consular officer has received explicit permission from the 
Visa Office to accept form DS-156;
     The applicant is a student exchange visitor who must leave 
immediately in order to arrive on time for his/her course and the 
consular officer has explicit permission from the Visa Office to accept 
form DS-156;
     The applicant is a diplomatic or official traveler with 
urgent government business and form DS-160 has been unavailable for 
more than four hours; or
     Form DS-160 has been unavailable for more than three days 
and the officer receives explicit permission from the Visa Office.
    In order to obtain a copy of form DS-156, an applicant must contact 
the Embassy or consulate at which he or she is applying, and request a 
copy.

Additional Information

    This collection is being revised to include both nonimmigrant visa 
application methods: The online version (form DS-160) which is used by 
the vast majority of applications, and the paper version (form DS-156) 
which is used in limited circumstances. Currently, the online 
application and paper application are approved under two separate 
collections. With this renewal, the Department seeks to combine these 
into a single collection. Upon approval, the Department will seek to 
discontinue OMB Control Number 1405-0018, the existing collection for 
form DS-156.
    The Department also is revising the collection to add several 
additional questions for most nonimmigrant visa applicants. One 
question lists multiple social media platforms and requires the 
applicant to provide any identifiers used by applicants for those 
platforms during the five years preceding the date of application. The 
platforms listed may be updated by the Department by adding or removing 
platforms. Additional platforms will be added only if collection is 
consistent with the uses described in the Supporting Statement and 
after Office of Management and Budget approval. In addition, the 
applicant will be given the option to provide information about any 
social media identifiers associated with any platforms other than those 
that are listed that the applicant has used in the last five years. The 
Department will collect this information from visa applicants for

[[Page 43952]]

identity resolution and vetting purposes based on statutory visa 
eligibility standards; however, the Department does not intend to 
routinely require applicants for specific visa classifications, such as 
most diplomatic and official visa applicants, to respond to this 
question. Other questions seek five years of previously used telephone 
numbers, email addresses, and international travel; whether the 
applicant has been deported or removed from any country; and whether 
specified family members have been involved in terrorist activities. 
Additionally, some E nonimmigrant visa applicants will be asked whether 
the principal treaty trader was issued a visa. The ``Sign and Submit'' 
statement will provide applicants additional information related to 
correcting records within Federal Bureau of Investigation databases. 
Finally, the revised visa application forms will include additional 
information regarding the visa medical examination that some applicants 
may be required to undergo. Additional details of the changes are 
available in supporting documents.

Carl C. Risch,
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2018-18594 Filed 8-27-18; 8:45 am]
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