[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73632-73633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23657]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 12245]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Three (3) 
Passport Services Information Collections: Birth Affidavit, Affidavit 
Regarding a Change of Name, and Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. 
Passport

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 information 
collections described below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, we are requesting comments on these collections from all 
interested individuals and organizations. The purpose of this Notice is 
to allow 30 days for public comment.

DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to 
November 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    <bullet> Title of Information Collection: Birth Affidavit.
    <bullet> OMB Control Number: 1405-0132.
    <bullet> Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
    <bullet> Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services (CA/PPT).
    <bullet> Form Number: DS-10.
    <bullet> Respondents: Individuals.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,028.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Responses: 6,028.
    <bullet> Average Time per Response: 40 minutes.
    <bullet> Total Estimated Burden Time: 4,018 hours.
    <bullet> Frequency: On occasion.
    <bullet> Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain a Benefit.

    <bullet> Title of Information Collection: Affidavit Regarding a 
Change of Name.
    <bullet> OMB Control Number: 1405-0133.
    <bullet> Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
    <bullet> Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services (CA/PPT).
    <bullet> Form Number: DS-60.
    <bullet> Respondents: Individuals.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,617.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Responses: 3,617.
    <bullet> Average Time Per Response: 40 minutes.
    <bullet> Total Estimated Time Burden: 2,411 hours.
    <bullet> Frequency: On occasion.
    <bullet> Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a 
Benefit.

    <bullet> Title of Information Collection: Statement of Non-Receipt 
of a U.S. Passport.
    <bullet> OMB Control Number: 1405-0146.
    <bullet> Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
    <bullet> Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services (CA/PPT).
    <bullet> Form Number: DS-86.
    <bullet> Respondents: Individuals.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Respondents: 18,260.
    <bullet> Estimated Number of Responses: 18,260.
    <bullet> Average Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    <bullet> Total Estimated Time Burden: 4,565 hours.
    <bullet> Frequency: On occasion.
    <bullet> Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a 
Benefit.

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
    <bullet> 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 record. 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 Collections

    <bullet> 1405-0132, DS-10, Birth Affidavit: The form is submitted 
in conjunction with an application for a U.S. passport and is used by 
Passport Services to collect information for the purpose of 
establishing the U.S. nationality of a passport applicant who has not 
submitted an acceptable United States birth certificate with their 
passport application. The Secretary of State is authorized to issue 
U.S. passports under 22 U.S.C. 211a et seq, 8 U.S.C. 1104, and 
Executive Order 11295 (August 5, 1966). Pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 212 and 
22 CFR 51.2, only U.S. nationals may be issued a U.S. passport. Most 
passport applicants establish U.S. nationality by providing a birth 
certificate that lists a place of birth within the United States or its 
outlying possessions (currently American Samoa and Swains Island). Some 
applicants, however, may have been born in the United States (and 
subject to its jurisdiction), but were never issued a birth 
certificate. Form DS-10 is a form affidavit for completion by a witness 
to the birth of such an applicant; it collects information relevant to 
establishing the identity of the affiant, and the birth circumstances 
of the passport applicant. If credible, the affidavit may permit the 
applicant to show U.S. nationality based on the applicant's birth in 
the United States, despite never having been issued a U.S. birth 
certificate. We use the information collected on the person completing 
the

[[Page 73633]]

affidavit to confirm that individual's identity, which is relevant to 
confirming his or her relationship to the applicant and in assessing 
the likelihood that the affiant has personal knowledge of the facts of 
the applicant's birth.
    In an ongoing effort to reduce public burden times, the ``Sex'' 
field (previously Item 2) has been removed from the DS-10, Birth 
Affidavit. Passport Services determined that this decision will not 
affect the procedural or policy aspects of DS-10 form adjudication or 
impact the determination of U.S. citizenship findings by passport 
adjudicators.
    <bullet> 1405-0133, DS-60, Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name: 
The form is submitted in conjunction with an application for a U.S. 
passport. It is used by Passport Services to collect information for 
the purpose of establishing that a passport applicant has adopted a new 
name without formal court proceedings or by marriage and has publicly 
and exclusively used the adopted name over a period of time (at least 
five years).
    <bullet> 1405-0146, DS-86, Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. 
Passport: The form is used by the U.S. Department of State to collect 
information for the purpose of issuing a replacement passport to 
customers whose passports have been issued but who have not received 
their passport documents in the mail. The information collected on the 
Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport is used by the Department 
of State to help ensure that no person bears more than one valid or 
potentially valid U.S. passport book of the same type and/or passport 
card at any one time, except as authorized by the Department. The 
information on the form is also used to address passport fraud and 
misuse.
    All three forms have been amended to replace the term ``sex'' with 
``gender'' and to be pronoun-inclusive of all genders.

Methodology

    When needed, the Birth Affidavit is either provided by the 
Department or downloaded from the Department's website and completed by 
the affiant. It must be signed in the presence of a passport agent, 
acceptance agent, or notary.
    When needed, the Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name is either 
provided by the Department or downloaded from the Department's website 
and completed by the affiant. It must be signed in the presence of a 
passport agent, passport acceptance agent, or notary.
    When needed, the Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport is 
either provided by the Department or downloaded from the Department's 
website and completed by the passport applicant.

Rachel M. Arndt,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2023-23657 Filed 10-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P