83 FR 8497 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Verification Request and Supplement

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 39 (February 27, 2018)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8497-8498]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03883]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[OMB Control Number 1615-0101]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without 
Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Verification Request and 
Supplement

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of this notice is to allow an 
additional 30 days for public comments.

DATES: The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for 
public comments. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until 
March 29, 2018. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 
1320.10.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) 
contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public 
burden and associated response time, must be directed to the OMB USCIS 
Desk Officer via email at [email protected]. All submissions 
received must include the agency name and the OMB Control Number [1615-
0101] in the subject line.
    You may wish to consider limiting the amount of personal 
information that you provide in any voluntary submission you make. For 
additional information please read the Privacy Act notice that is 
available via the link in the footer of http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
Regulatory Coordination Division, Samantha Deshommes, Chief, 20 
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140, Telephone number 
(202) 272-8377 (This is not a toll-free number; comments are not 
accepted via telephone message.). Please note contact information 
provided here is solely for questions regarding this notice. It is not 
for individual case status inquiries. Applicants seeking information 
about the status of their individual cases can check Case Status 
Online, available at the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov, or call 
the USCIS National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283; TTY (800) 
767-1833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments

    The information collection notice was previously published in the 
Federal Register on November 24, 2017, at 82 FR 55852, allowing for a 
60-day public comment period. USCIS did receive one comment in 
connection with the 60-day notice.
    You may access the information collection instrument with 
instructions, or additional information by visiting the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal site at: http://www.regulations.gov and enter USCIS-
2008-0008 in the search box. Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the 
following four points:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and

[[Page 8498]]

    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection Request: Extension, Without 
Change, of a Currently Approved Collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Verification Request and 
Supplement.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
DHS sponsoring the collection: G-845; USCIS.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Federal Government; State, local or 
Tribal Government.
    In the verification process, a participating agency validates an 
applicant's immigration status by inputting identifying information 
into the Verification Information System (VIS), which executes 
immigration status queries against a range of data sources. If VIS 
returns an immigration status and the benefit-issuing agency does not 
find a material discrepancy with the response and the documents 
provided by the applicant, the verification process is complete. Then, 
the agency may use that immigration status information to determine 
whether to issue the benefit.
    If VIS does not locate a record pertaining to the applicant during 
an electronic initial verification, a second step additional 
verification must be requested by the agency, so that a Status Verifier 
can manually check the records. If the Status Verifier cannot determine 
status during the second step additional verification, they will 
request the agency to submit a copy of the applicant's immigration 
document. The immigration document can be submitted using scan and 
upload or by attaching it to a Form G-845 and mailing it to the Status 
Verifier.
    Applicants may check on the processing of additional verification 
through the SAVE Case Check web portal, hound at http://www.uscis.gov/save/save-case-check. SAVE Case Check permits applicants to use the 
SAVE verification numbers associated with their benefit applications or 
the immigration identification numbers and dates of birth provided to 
those benefit granting agencies to access this information.
    In limited cases, agencies may query USCIS by filing Form G-845 by 
mail. Although the Form G-845 does not require it, if needed, certain 
agencies may also file the Form G-845 Supplement with the Form G-845, 
along with copies of immigration documents to receive additional 
information necessary to make their benefit determinations. These forms 
were developed to facilitate communication between all benefit-granting 
agencies and USCIS to ensure that basic information required to assess 
status verification requests is provided.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: The estimated 
total number of respondents for the information collection G-845 
Verification Request is 162,106 and the estimated hour burden per 
response is 0.083 hours; for the information collection VIS Query the 
estimated total number of respondents is 23,293,981 and the estimated 
hour burden per response is 0.083 hours; for the information collection 
G-845, Verification Request Supplement, the estimated total number of 
respondents is 7,122 and the estimated hour burden per response is 
0.083 hours.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The total estimated annual hour burden associated 
with this collection is 1,947,446 hours.
    (7) An estimate of the total public burden (in cost) associated 
with the collection: The estimated total annual cost burden associated 
with this collection of information is $12,113,642.50.

    Dated: February 15, 2018.
Samantha Deshommes,
Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland 
Security.
[FR Doc. 2018-03883 Filed 2-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-97-P