SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

• Title of Information Collection: Crisis Assistance Request Form.
• OMB Control Number: 1405-0259.
• Type of Request: Regular renewal of an approved information collection.
• Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs.
• Form Number: No form.
• Respondents: For all crises, respondents include U.S. citizens; depending on the circumstances of the individual crisis, respondents may also include U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and eligible family members of both U.S. citizens and LPRs, regardless of nationality, who are experiencing a natural disaster, armed conflict, or other crises in a foreign country, and are seeking U.S. government assistance.
• Estimated Number of Respondents: 120,000.
• Estimated Number of Responses: 120,000.
• Average Time per Response: 5 minutes.
• Hourly Burden: 10,000 hours.
• Frequency: Once.
• Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.

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 purpose of the collection is to enable the Department of State to provide information and/or consular services to U.S. citizens, eligible family members of U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) of the United States; or eligible family members of LPRs of the United States who may be in need of assistance in a country experiencing a crisis. The form asks individuals to share information with the Department about their current plans, the number of people in their group, and their exact location. It also asks for their latest contact information and contact information for an emergency contact not currently in the country. The Department of State may activate this collection on travel.state.gov when a crisis occurs. U.S. citizens are always eligible to complete the collection when activated. At the time of the crisis the Department of State will determine whether to activate the LPR and eligible family members of U.S. Citizens and LPRs options of the collection. Those options may be activated later in the crisis ( printed page 44949) rather than in the initial stage when the Department's primary focus is on U.S. citizens.

The Department is utilizing this form to acquire the most current and accurate data possible to inform our consular assistance efforts. It will allow the Department to build a more current picture of how many U.S. citizens and LPRs plan to remain in the country experiencing a crisis and any who may request assistance to depart or other consular assistance. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary.

The availability of U.S. government-coordinated departure assistance can vary depending on the nature of the crisis. In extreme situations, where local infrastructure is damaged or failing but the security situation still allows for some safe movement, the Department may work with the host government, other countries, and other U.S. government agencies to arrange chartered or non-commercial transportation based on information entered in this form. With respect to LPRs, the Department may accommodate special circumstances, such as when a spouse or other immediate relative of a U.S. citizen is traveling with the U.S. citizen family member.

Methodology

The collection will be completed 100 percent electronically. The respondent will access the form at the following link: https://cacms.state.gov/​s/​crisis-intake. The link will also be accessible from the crisis country's country information page on www.travel.state.gov, the U.S. embassy or consulate website for that country, and other Department of State communications. The Department may also choose as appropriate to distribute the form's URL through emails from @state.gov email addresses, or in messaging sent as consular information products. The link will only be activated when there is a need to collect the information.

Response to Public Comments

There was one relevant public comment in response to the 60 day notice. The commenter recommended that the Department evaluate the information collection through an “implementation-verification framework.” In response, the Department asserts that identity information provided by the public in the crisis form is verified by the Department of State passport records check before eligibility for assistance is approved. Other elements of the public comment did not pertain to this information collection.

91 FR 44948