[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 61185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24470]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6399]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: DS-234, 
Application for Special Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, OMB 
Number 1405-0015

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 following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
     Title of Information Collection: Application for Special 
Immigrant Visa.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0015.
     Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department 
of State (CA/VO).
     Form Number: DS-234.
     Respondents: Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant visa 
applicants.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,000 per year.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 12,000 per year.
     Average Hours Per Response: 20 minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden: 4,000 hours per year.
     Frequency: Once per respondent.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain U.S. 
resettlement benefits.

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
up to 30 days from October 15, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments and questions to Katherine Astrich, the 
Department of State Desk Officer in the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who 
may be reached at 202-395-4718. You may submit comments by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the DS form 
number, information collection title, and OMB control number in the 
subject line of your message.
     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
     Fax: 202-395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may obtain copies of the proposed 
information collection and supporting documents from Jessica Firestein 
of the Office of Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees and 
Migration, U.S. Department of State, 2401 E. Street, NW. L-505, 
Washington, DC 20522, who may be reached at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are soliciting public comments to permit 
the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary to properly perform 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.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    Form DS-234 is being added to this collection to elicit information 
that will be used by the Department of State to identify an appropriate 
resettlement site in the United States and correctly allocate 
additional services for Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant visa 
recipients. The recipients are eligible for resettlement benefits 
administered by the Department of State under Public Laws 110-161 and 
110-181, as amended by Public Law 110-242.

Methodology

    The SIV Bio-data information form (DS-234) is submitted 
electronically by the applicant to the National Visa Center, which will 
forward the forms to the Refugee Processing Center of the Bureau of 
Population, Refugees and Migration.

    Dated: October 3, 2008.
Lawrence Bartlett,
Deputy Director, Office of Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees 
and Migration, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-24470 Filed 10-14-08; 8:45 am]
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