[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 101 (Thursday, May 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45668-45670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11341]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
[OMB Control Number 1651-0143]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision; Advance
Travel Authorization (ATA)
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of
Homeland Security.
ACTION: 30-Day notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) will be submitting the following information
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal
Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.
DATES: Comments are encouraged and must be submitted (no later than
June 24, 2024) to be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s)
contained in this notice should be sent within 30 days of publication
of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Please submit
written comments and/or suggestions in English. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional PRA
information should be directed to Seth Renkema, Chief, Economic Impact
Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade,
Regulations and Rulings, 90 K Street NE, 10th Floor, Washington, DC
20229-1177, Telephone number 202-325-0056 or via email
[email protected]. Please note that the contact information provided
here is solely for questions regarding this notice. Individuals seeking
information about other CBP programs should contact the CBP National
Customer Service Center at 877-227-5511, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339, or CBP
website at https://www.cbp.gov/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CBP invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on the proposed and/or continuing
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This proposed information collection was
previously published in the Federal Register (88 FR 62810) on September
13, 2023, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for
an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in
accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8. Written comments and suggestions from the
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the
following four points: (1) 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) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) suggestions to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(4) suggestions to 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. The comments that are submitted
will be summarized and included in the request for approval. All
comments will become a matter of public record.
Overview of This Information Collection
Title: Advance Travel Authorization (ATA).
OMB Number: 1651-0143.
Form Number: N/A.
Current Actions: Revision to an existing collection of information
with an increase in total annual burden.
Type of Review: Revision.
Affected Public: Individuals.
Abstract: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established new
parole processes to allow certain noncitizens from certain countries,
and their qualifying immediate family members to request advance
authorization to travel to the United States to seek a discretionary
grant of parole, issued on a case-by-case basis. To support these
processes, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) developed the
Advance Travel Authorization (ATA) capability, which allows individuals
to submit information within the CBP OneTM application as
part of the process. Through an emergency approval, CBP established the
ATA collection. Initially, this capability was utilized by Venezuelan
citizens and their qualifying immediate family members seeking
authorization to travel to the United States under the DHS-established
parole process for Venezuelans.\1\ DHS later developed similar parole
processes for citizens of Cuba,\2\ Haiti,\3\ and Nicaragua \4\ and
their qualifying immediate family members. The four processes are
collectively known as the CHNV process. There is no numerical cap on
the number of noncitizens from these four countries who may apply;
however, there is a 30,000 limit on the number of travel authorizations
DHS may issue each month across the CHNV process. Additionally,
participation is limited in the ATA capability to those individuals who
meet certain DHS-established criteria, including, but not limited to,
possession of a valid, unexpired passport, as well as having an
approved U.S.-based financial supporter.
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\1\ 87 FR 63507 (Oct. 19, 2022). See also 88 FR 1279 (Jan. 9,
2023) (updating the process announced in 2022).
\2\ 88 FR 1266 (Jan. 9, 2023), as amended by 88 FR 26329 (Apr.
28, 2023).
\3\ 88 FR 1243 (Jan. 9, 2023), as amended by 88 FR 26327 (Apr.
28, 2023).
\4\ 88 FR 1255 (Jan. 9, 2023).
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ATA requires the collection of a facial photograph via CBP
OneTM from those noncitizens who voluntarily elect to
participate in the CHNV process, in order to provide accurate identity
information for completion of vetting in advance of issuance of a
travel authorization.
Advance Travel Authorization (ATA)
The biographic information collected on the I-134A is passed to CBP
systems to allow the individual to complete their CBP One submission.
The information the individual enters in CBP One must match the I-134A.
The facial biometrics
[[Page 45669]]
collected from noncitizens for the CHNV process will be linked to
biographic information provided by the individual to U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS). This information collection will
facilitate the vetting of noncitizens seeking to obtain advance
authorization to travel. This collection will also give air carriers
that participate in CBP's Document Validation (DocVal) program the
ability to validate an approved advance authorization to travel,
facilitating generation of a noncitizen's boarding pass without having
to use other manual validation processes.
CBP OneTM allows the user to capture the required
biometrics, currently limited to a live facial photograph, and confirm
submission after viewing the captured image. If the user is not
satisfied with the image captured, the user can retake the image. If
the image capture is unsuccessful, CBP OneTM will provide
the user with an error message stating that the submission was
unsuccessful and permitting the user to try again. If the user
continues to experience technical difficulties, the CBP
OneTM application provides a help desk email to request
assistance.
CBP conducts vetting to determine whether the individual poses a
security risk to the United States, and to determine whether the
individual is eligible to receive advance authorization to travel to
the United States to seek a discretionary grant of parole at the port
of entry (POE). In the event that an advance authorization to travel
may be denied because of a facial photograph match found in criminal
databases or if there is a mismatch that limits the ability to confirm
identity, then the match or mismatch will be verified by a CBP officer
before the advance travel authorization is officially denied.
If the advance travel authorization is denied, the individual will
not be authorized to travel to the United States to seek parole under
the CHNV process. In the event that the user is not authorized to
travel under this process, the user may still seek entry to the United
States through another process, including by filing a request for
consideration of parole with USCIS or applying with the Department of
State (DOS) to obtain a visa. If travel authorization is approved, the
approval establishes that the individual has obtained advance
authorization to travel to the United States to seek a discretionary
grant of parole, consistent with 8 CFR 212.5(f), but does not guarantee
boarding or a specific processing disposition at a POE. Upon arrival at
a U.S. POE, the traveler will be subject to inspection by a CBP
officer, who will make a case-by-case processing disposition
determination.
This collection of information is authorized by sections 103 and
212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1103 and
1182(d)(5)), and 8 CFR 212.5(f). DHS has also publicly announced the
CHNV process policy and accompanying collection on its website and has
also published Federal Register notices for each of the named
countries, as noted above.
CBP OneTM collects the following information from the
individual submitting a request for an advance authorization to travel
to the United States to seek parole under the CHNV process:
1. Facial Photograph
2. Photo obtained from the passport or Chip on ePassport, where
available
3. Alien Registration Number
4. First and Last Name
5. Date of Birth
6. Passport Number
Additionally, CBP further revised this collection through another
emergency submission to include individuals seeking to travel to the
United States as part of the Family Reunification Parole (FRP)
processes using the existing ATA capability to submit information to
CBP, as updated for certain nationals of Cuba \5\ and Haiti,\6\ and as
implemented for certain nationals of Colombia,\7\ Guatemala,\8\
Honduras,\9\ El Salvador,\10\ and Ecuador.\11\ The FRP processes begin
with an invitation being sent to a petitioner who previously received
an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of the
potential principal beneficiary, and if applicable, the beneficiary's
accompanying derivative beneficiaries. The petitioner then submits a
Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of
Financial Support, on behalf of the potential principal beneficiary,
and if applicable, the beneficiary's accompanying derivative
beneficiaries. For those petitioners whose Form I-134A is confirmed by
USCIS, the beneficiaries will receive an email with instructions to
create an online account with myUSCIS. There, the potential beneficiary
will confirm their biographic information and complete attestations,
and then receive instructions to download the CBP OneTM
mobile application to continue through the process. USCIS will send the
biographic information to CBP. Additionally, once the beneficiary
completes their CBP OneTM submission, utilizing the ATA
capability, CBP will conduct vetting, and if appropriate, issue an
advance authorization to travel.
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\5\ 88 FR 54639 (Aug. 11, 2023).
\6\ 88 FR 54635 (Aug. 11, 2023).
\7\ 88 FR 43591 (July 10, 2023).
\8\ 88 FR 43581 (July 10, 2023).
\9\ 88 FR 43601 (July 10, 2023).
\10\ 88 FR 43611 (July 10, 2023).
\11\ 88 FR 78762 (Nov. 16, 2023).
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The information collected as part of these new FRP processes is the
same as that which is already collected from other populations through
ATA. This information collection will facilitate the vetting of
noncitizens seeking to obtain advance authorization to travel and will
give air carriers that participate in CBP's DocVal program the ability
to validate an approved travel authorization, facilitating generation
of a noncitizen's boarding pass without having to use other manual
validation processes.
New Changes
1. Adding Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) respondent group to collection:
In response to the President's commitment to welcome 100,000
Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Russia's aggression, DHS, in
coordination with DOS, established the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) parole
process on April 25, 2022.\12\ This process allows certain Ukrainian
citizens and their qualifying family members to submit certain
identifying information to USCIS and CBP to facilitate the issuance of
an advance authorization to travel to the United States to seek parole.
At the time U4U was implemented, full ATA capability was not yet
developed and CBP uses different processes to screen and vet Ukrainians
seeking parole. Currently, individuals seeking to travel under U4U do
not utilize CBP OneTM or the ATA capability during their
process. To align U4U with other DHS parole processes, including CHNV
and FRP, the ATA capability will be implemented for those individuals
requesting authorization to travel to the United States to seek a
discretionary grant of parole. The ATA capability will be added as part
of a step in the U4U process to facilitate the vetting of noncitizens
seeking to obtain advance authorization to travel and will give air
carriers that participate in CBP's DocVal program the ability to
validate an approved travel authorization, facilitating generation of a
noncitizen's boarding pass without having to use other manual
validation processes.
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\12\ 87 FR 25040 (Apr. 27, 2022).
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2. Adjusted Burden:
Furthermore, in coordination with USCIS, CBP has added to the
burden estimate for this collection, to account for any potential
expansion(s) that align with new or revised policies or
[[Page 45670]]
processing capacity over the next three years.
3. New Data Element:
This revision also adds a new data element to this collection: the
physical location (longitude/latitude) of device utilizing ATA at the
time of any biometric information submission. This data element will
further secure the submission process and provide accurate identity
information for completion of vetting in advance of issuance of a
travel authorization.
CBP invites comments from the public on all changes established by
previously approved emergency submissions and the new proposed
revisions listed in this FRN.
Type of Information Collection: Advance Travel Authorization (ATA).
Estimated Number of Respondents: 562,000.
Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 562,000.
Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 93,667.
Dated: May 20, 2024.
Seth D Renkema,
Branch Chief, Economic Impact Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection.
[FR Doc. 2024-11341 Filed 5-22-24; 8:45 am]
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