[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62893-62894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21858]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 5983]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Department of 
State Form DS-1504; Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise; OMB 
Control Number 1405-0104

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. 
The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in 
the Federal Register preceding submission to OMB. We are conducting 
this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
     Title of Information Collection: Request for Customs 
Clearance of Merchandise.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0104.
     Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: DS/OFM/VTC/TC.
     Form Number: DS-1504.
     Respondents: Eligible foreign diplomatic or consular 
missions, certain foreign government organizations, and designated 
international organizations.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 350.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 7,800.
     Average Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.

[[Page 62894]]

     Total Estimated Burden: 3,900 hours.
     Frequency: On Occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a 
Benefit.

DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to 60 
days from November 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Office of 
Foreign Missions, International Place, NW., U.S. Department of State, 
Washington, DC 20008.
     Fax: 202-895-3533.

You must include the DS form number, information collection title, and 
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 information collection and 
supporting documents, to Ms. Irina Kaufman, DS/OFM/TC, 3507 
International Place, NW., U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 
2008, who may be reached on 202-895-3683, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are soliciting public comments to permit 
the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper performance of our functions.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
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 
technology.
    Abstract of proposed collection: Exemption from customs duties is a 
privilege enjoyed by foreign diplomatic and consular personnel on 
assignment in the Unites States under the provision of the Vienna 
Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations and the terms of 
various bilateral agreements. Under the Foreign Missions Act of 1982 
(as amended), 22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq., the Department of State's Office 
of Foreign Missions (OFM) is given the authority to grant privileges 
and benefits, based on reciprocity. Form DS-1504 ``Request for Customs 
Clearance of Merchandise'' provides OFM with the necessary information 
to provide and administer the benefit effectively and efficiently.
    Methodology: Paper copies of the Form DS-1504 are either hand 
carried or mailed to OFM. Foreign Missions can access this from on the 
OFM Web site in Portable Document Format (PDF), which provides a data-
input and print feature for clean and legible paper copies. An 
electronic submission option is expected to be made available to 
respondents in 2008.

    Dated: October 3, 2007.
Claude J. Nebel,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Deputy Director, Office of 
Foreign Missions, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E7-21858 Filed 11-6-07; 8:45 am]
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