[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19797-19798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07628]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8266]


Designation & Determination Pursuant to the Foreign Missions Act; 
Concerning the Provision of Application Services for Visas, Passports 
and Similar Documents by Private Entities to Foreign Missions in the 
United States

    Sections 202(a), 203, 204, and 207 of the Foreign Missions Act 
(codified at 22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.) (hereinafter ``the Act'') 
authorize the Secretary of State to designate benefits and provide or 
assist in the grant of benefits for or on behalf of a foreign mission. 
Therefore, pursuant to such authority, vested in me by Delegation of 
Authority No. 198, dated September 16, 1992, in order to protect the 
interests of the United States and to adjust for costs and procedures 
of obtaining benefits for missions of the United States abroad, I 
hereby designate the provision of application services with respect to 
visas, passports and similar documents by private entities on behalf of 
foreign missions in the United States as a benefit under the Act. For

[[Page 19798]]

this purpose, such application services include, but are not limited 
to, appointment management, fee collection, document delivery, and the 
collection of biometric data from applicants.
    Additionally, I hereby determine the provision of such application 
services by private entities for foreign missions in the United States 
to be subject to such terms and conditions as may be established by the 
Department's Office of Foreign Missions and that any state or local 
laws to the contrary are hereby preempted.
    In accordance with Sec.  211(a) of the Act, it shall be unlawful 
for any person to make available any benefits to a foreign mission that 
are contrary to the Act. The United States, acting on its own behalf or 
on behalf of a foreign mission, has standing to bring or intervene in 
an action to obtain compliance with this chapter, including any action 
for injunctive or other equitable relief.

    Dated: March 18th, 2013.
Patrick F. Kennedy,
Under Secretary for Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-07628 Filed 4-1-13; 8:45 am]
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