[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 53 (Monday, March 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16047-16048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6597]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services


Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-589; Extension 
of an Existing Information Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: 60-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review; Form I-
589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding for Removal; OMB 
Control No. 1615-0067.

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    The Department Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following information 
collection request for review and clearance in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection notice is 
published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public 
and affected agencies. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 
sixty days until May 18, 2012.
    During this 60 day period, USCIS will be evaluating whether to 
revise the Form I-589. Should USCIS decide to revise Form I-589 we will 
advise the public when we publish the 30-day notice in the Federal 
Register in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The public 
will then have 30 days to comment on any revisions to the Form I-589.
    Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained 
in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and 
associated response time, should be directed to the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS), USCIS, Laura Dawkins, Acting Chief Regulatory 
Coordinator, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and 
Strategy, Clearance Office, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20529. Comments may also be submitted to DHS via facsimile to 202-272-
0997 or via email at [email protected]. When submitting comments 
by email, please make sure to add OMB Control No. 1615-0067 in the 
subject box. Written comments and suggestions from the public and 
affected agencies concerning the collection of information should

[[Page 16048]]

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 agencies 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
    (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: Extension of an existing 
information collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Application for Asylum and for 
Withholding of Removal.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: Form I-589; 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Individuals or households. Form I-
589 is necessary to determine whether an alien applying for asylum and/
or withholding of removal in the United States is classified as 
refugee, and is eligible to remain in the United States.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 46,000 
responses at 12 hours per response.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: 552,000 annual burden hours.
    If you need a copy of the information collection instrument, please 
visit the Web site at: http://www.regulations.gov/.
    We may also be contacted at: USCIS, Regulatory Coordination 
Division, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529, Telephone 
number 202-272-8377.

    Dated: March 14, 2012.
Laura Dawkins,
Acting Chief Regulatory Coordinator, Regulatory Coordination Division, 
Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2012-6597 Filed 3-16-12; 8:45 am]
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