[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70804-70805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29472]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7684]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: DS-7656; 
Affidavit of Relationship (AOR)

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: Affidavit of Relationship 
(AOR).
     OMB Control Number: None.
     Type of Request: New Collection.
     Originating Office: Office of Admissions, Bureau of 
Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM/A).
     Form Number: DS-7656.
     Respondents: Persons admitted to the United States as 
refugees or granted asylum in the United States requesting that their 
spouses, unmarried children under age 21, and/or parents, be considered 
for admission to the U.S. as refugees.

[[Page 70805]]

     Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,500 annually.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 3,500.
     Average Hours per Response: 1 hour (60 minutes).
     Total Estimated Burden: 3,500 annual hours.
     Frequency: On occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain a 
benefit.

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
up to 30 days from November 15, 2011.

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 OMB control number in 
the subject line of your message.
     Fax: (202) 395-5806. Attention: Desk Officer for 
Department of State.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may obtain copies of the proposed 
information collection and supporting documents from Sumitra Siram, 
Office of Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration 
(PRM), PRM/Admissions, 2401 E Street NW., Suite L505, SA-1 Washington, 
DC 20522, who may be reached on (202) 453-9250 or 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

    The Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) is required by the Department 
of State to establish qualifications for access to the Priority 3--
Family Reunification category of the United States Refugee Admissions 
Program (USRAP)--by persons of certain nationalities of special 
humanitarian concern who are family members of qualifying ``anchors'' 
(persons already admitted to the U.S. as refugees or granted asylum, 
including persons who may now be lawful permanent residents or U.S. 
citizens). Qualifying family members of U.S.-based anchors include 
spouses, unmarried children under age 21, and parents. Eligible 
nationalities are selected following careful review of several factors, 
including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' annual 
assessment of refugees in need of resettlement, prospective or ongoing 
repatriation efforts, and U.S. foreign policy interests. The Priority 3 
category is outlined in the annual Proposed Refugee Admissions--Report 
to Congress, which is submitted on behalf of the President in 
fulfillment of the requirements of Section 207(e)(1)-(7) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act, and authorized by the annual 
Presidential Determination for Refugee Admissions.

Methodology

    Information for the Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) is collected in 
person by Voluntary Agencies around the United States, which are 
organizations that work under cooperative agreements with the 
Department of State, to provide a means for current or former refugees 
and asylees to claim a relationship with certain family members that 
would qualify those family members to apply for access to refugee 
processing under the Priority 3 category of the U.S. Refugee Admissions 
Program. The Voluntary Agencies then forward the completed AORs to the 
Department of State's Refugee Processing Center (RPC) for data entry 
and case processing.

    Dated: November 8, 2011.
Kelly A. Gauger,
Deputy Director, Office of Admissions, Bureau of Population, Refugees, 
and Migration, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-29472 Filed 11-14-11; 8:45 am]
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