[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39317-39318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16190]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7939]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection, DS-5520, 
Supplemental Questionnaire to Determine Identity for a U.S. Passport, 
1405-XXXX

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: Supplemental 
Questionnaire to Determine Identity for a U.S. Passport.
     OMB Control Number: None.
     Type of Request: Existing Collection in Use Without an OMB 
Control Number.
     Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services, Office of Project Management and Operational Support, Program 
Coordination (CA/PPT/PMO/PC).
     Form Number: DS-5520.
     Respondents: Individuals applying for a U.S. passport.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 69,011.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 69,011.
     Average Hours per Response: 45 Minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden: 51,758 hours.
     Frequency: On occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain a Benefit.

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
up to 30 days from July 2, 2012.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, 
Passport Services, Office of Program Management and Operational 
Support, 2201 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20037.
    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 PPT Forms Officer, 
U.S. Department of State, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Room 3031, 
Washington, DC 20037, who may be reached on 202-663-2457 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 primary purpose for soliciting this information is to validate 
an identity claim for a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card in the 
narrow category of cases in which the evidence presented by an 
applicant is insufficient to establish identity. The information may 
also be used in adjudicating applications for other travel documents 
and services, and in connection with law enforcement, fraud prevention, 
border security, counterterrorism, litigation activities, and 
administrative purposes.

Methodology

    The Supplemental Questionnaire to Determine Identity for a U.S. 
Passport is intended to verify the respondent's identity for purposes 
of determining eligibility for a U.S. passport. This form is used to 
supplement an existing passport application and solicits information 
relating to the respondent's employment and residences that is needed 
to corroborate an applicant's identity claim prior to passport 
issuance.

Additional Information

    The DS-5520 is questionnaire is designed to help determine the 
identity of passport applicants. The DS-5520 is not designed to replace 
the DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, but rather to supplement 
the application

[[Page 39318]]

when the applicant initially submits evidence that is insufficient to 
meet his/her burden of proving identity. The Department estimates that 
such supplemental information will only be requested for a small number 
of applicants, estimated to be less than 0.5% of applications received 
annually. For information on what documentation is required when 
submitting a DS-11, please refer to page two of the instructions.
    The DS-5520 is largely based on the original Biographical 
Questionnaire for a U.S. Passport, posted on the Federal Register for 
public comment on February 24, 2011 (page 10421) and closed April 25, 
2011.
    Comments we received from the original Federal Register posting 
were considered, and several suggestions were incorporated into the 
current version of the forms. The Department split the form into two 
shorter forms: the DS-5520 for identity questions and the DS-5513 for 
entitlement. Both revised forms assure applicants that failure to 
answer every question will not necessarily preclude passport issuance, 
as the responses to the questions in the forms are considered in their 
entirety.
    In response to comments regarding burden and privacy concerns, the 
proposed forms amend many of the questions to more accurately obtain 
the information the Department is seeking. For example, the proposed 
DS-5520 limits the number of past employment and residences requested. 
The Department also removed the question regarding past supervisors and 
employers' contact information based on public comment.
    After dramatically revising the form, the Department posted a 
second Federal Register notice for public comment. For this notice, the 
Department received comments remarked that providing information about 
one's family members (living and deceased) is irrelevant for 
determining their identity. Others expressed concern regarding how it 
will be difficult for some applicants (such as applicants who lived 
overseas or people who are adopted or elderly) to provide some of the 
requested information.
    The details surrounding one's family are usually one of the easiest 
pieces of information an applicant can provide that can also easily be 
verified via records by the Department. That being said, the Department 
is also well aware of how complicated family dynamics can be regardless 
of whether or not the applicant is adopted (a fact which would be 
reflected in the citizenship evidence an applicant submits with the 
initial application) which is why the form's instructions stress that 
if you are unsure of the information, please provide a response to the 
best of your knowledge as Passport Services will consider all the 
information derived from this form in its entirety. This form 
instruction also applies to the comments regarding children who went to 
school overseas as well as elderly applicants who may not remember 
where they lived five addresses ago. The Department understands that 
when it comes to an applicant's life history, there can be a wide 
variety of responses provided and the Department therefore accepts a 
wide variety of answers.

    Dated: May 9, 2012.
Barry J. Conway,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services, Bureau of 
Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012-16190 Filed 6-29-12; 8:45 am]
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