[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36065-36067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16286]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 10070]


Notice of Information Collection Under OMB Emergency Review: 
Request for Approval To Travel to a Restricted Country or Area

ACTION: Notice of request for emergency OMB approval and public 
comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information 
collection request described below to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the emergency 
review procedures of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose 
of this notice is to allow 21 days for public comment from all 
interested individuals and organizations. Emergency review and approval 
of this collection has been requested from OMB by September 1, 2017.

DATES: All public comments must be received by August 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Direct any comments on this emergency request to both the 
Department of State Desk Officer in the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and to 
Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services Directorate.
    You may submit comments to OMB by the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. You must include 
Emergency Submission Comment on ``Request for Approval to Travel to a 
Restricted Country or Area'' in the subject line of your message.
     Fax: 202-395-5806. Attention: Desk Officer for Department 
of State.
    You may submit comments to Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services Directorate by the following methods:
     Web: Persons with access to the Internet may comment on 
this notice by going to www.Regulations.gov. You can search for the 
document by entering ``Docket Number: DOS-2017-0033'' in the Search 
field. Then click the ``Comment Now'' button and complete the comment 
form.
     Email: [email protected]. You must include 
Emergency Submission Comment on ``Request for Approval to Travel to a 
Restricted Country or Area'' in the subject line of your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents,

[[Page 36066]]

to PPT Forms Officer, U.S. Department of State, CA/PPT/S/L/LA 44132 
Mercure Cir, P.O. Box 1227, Sterling, VA 20166-1227, by phone at (202) 
485-6373, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
     Title of Information Collection: Request for Approval to 
Travel to a Restricted Country or Area.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-XXXX.
     Type of Request: Emergency Review.
     Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services Directorate, Office of Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement 
Liaison (CA/PPT/S/L).
     Form Number: None.
     Respondents: Individuals applying for a U.S. passport 
containing a special validation in accordance with 22 CFR 51.64 to use 
a U.S. passport to travel to, in, or through a country or area as to 
which U.S. passports have been declared invalid for such travel 
pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 211a and Executive Order 11295 (August 5, 1966) 
and in accordance with 22 CFR 51.63(a).
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 100 respondents.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 200 responses.
     Average Time per Response: 45 minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 149 hours.
     Frequency: Twice per respondent's application.
     Obligation To Respond: Required to Obtain a Benefit.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden of this 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, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public records. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    The Secretary of State may exercise authority, under 22 U.S.C. 
211a, Executive Order 11295 (August 5, 1966), and 22 CFR 51.63, to 
invalidate all U.S. passports for travel to a country or area if he 
determines that any of three conditions exist: The country is at war 
with the United States; armed hostilities are in progress in the 
country or area; or there is imminent danger to the public health or 
physical safety of U.S. travelers in the country or area. The 
regulations of the Department of State provide that an individual's 
passport may be considered for validation for travel to, in, or through 
a country or area despite such restriction if the individual's travel 
is determined to fall within one of several categories established by 
the regulations. 22 CFR 51.64. Without the requisite validation, use of 
a U.S. passport for travel to, in, or through a restricted country or 
area may justify revocation of the passport for misuse under 22 CFR 
51.62(a)(2) and subject the traveler to felony prosecution under 18 
U.S.C. 1544 for misuse of a passport or other applicable laws.
    The categories of persons specified in 22 CFR 51.64(b) as being 
eligible for consideration for passport validation are as follows:
    (a) An applicant who is a professional reporter and journalist 
whose trip is for the purpose of collecting and making available to the 
public information about the restricted country or area;
    (b) An applicant who is a representative of the American Red Cross 
or the International Committee of the Red Cross on official mission to 
the restricted country or area;
    (c) An applicant whose trip to the restricted country or area is 
justified by compelling humanitarian considerations; or
    (d) An applicant whose trip to the restricted country or area is 
otherwise in the national interest.
    The proposed information collection solicits data necessary for the 
Passport Services Directorate to determine whether an applicant is 
eligible to receive a special validation in his or her U.S. passport 
book permitting the applicant to make one round-trip to a restricted 
country or area. The information requested consists of the applicant's 
name, a copy of the front and back of the applicant's valid government-
issued photo identification card with the applicant's date of birth, 
current contact information, including telephone number and mailing 
address, and a statement explaining the reason that the applicant 
thinks his or her trip is in the national interest, supported by 
documentary evidence. Failure to provide the requested information will 
result in denial of a special validation to use a U.S. passport to 
travel to, in, or through a restricted country or area.
    The estimated number of recipients represents the Department of 
State's estimate of the number of persons who will request special 
validations to use their U.S. passport to travel to the Democratic 
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), following implementation of a 
passport restriction that will become effective thirty days after 
publication of the Secretary of State's determination that there is 
imminent danger to the public health or physical safety of U.S. 
travelers in the DPRK. At this time, there are no other countries or 
areas that are the subject of passport restrictions pursuant to 22 CFR 
51.63. In its next request to continue collecting information from 
individuals applying for special validations to travel in, to, or 
through a restricted country or area, the Department of State will 
update the estimated number of recipients based on its experience.

Methodology

    The Department of State will post instructions for individuals 
seeking to apply for a special validation to use a U.S. passport to 
travel to, in, or through a restricted country or area on travel 
information Web site maintained by the Department (travel.state.gov). 
Applicants at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad and at domestic 
passport agencies and centers will be directed to this Web site for 
additional information. The Web site will direct applicants to submit 
the requested information via email to the Passport Services 
Directorate ([email protected]) or by mail to Special 
Validations, U.S. Department of State, CA/PPT/L/LA, 44132 Mercure 
Circle, P.O. Box 1227, Sterling, VA 20166-1227.
    Information collected in this manner will be used to facilitate the 
granting of special validations to U.S. nationals who are eligible. The 
primary purpose of soliciting the information is to establish whether 
an applicant is within one of the categories specified in the 
regulations of the Department of State codified at 22 CFR 51.64(b) and 
therefore eligible to be issued a U.S. passport containing a special 
validation enabling him or her to make one round-trip to a restricted 
country or area, and to facilitate the application for a passport of 
such applicants.


[[Page 36067]]


    Dated: July 28, 2017.
Brenda S. Sprague,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services, Bureau of Consular 
Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2017-16286 Filed 8-1-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P