20038 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices 

special accommodations due to a 

disability, visitor parking, and 

transportation may be accessed at: 

http://www.fda.gov/ 

AdvisoryCommittees/default.htm; under 

the heading ‘‘Resources for You,’’ click 

on ‘‘Public Meetings at the FDA White 

Oak Campus.’’ Please note that visitors 

to the White Oak Campus must enter 

through Building 1. 

Contact Person: Glendolynn S. 

Johnson, Center for Drug Evaluation and 

Research, Food and Drug 

Administration, 10903 New Hampshire 

Ave., WO31–2417, Silver Spring, MD 

20993–0002, (301) 796–9001, fax: (301) 

847–8533, email: PCNS@fda.hhs.gov, or 

FDA Advisory Committee Information 

Line, 1–800–741–8138 (301–443–0572 

in the Washington, DC area), and follow 

the prompts to the desired center or 

product area. Please call the Information 

Line for up-to-date information on this 

meeting. A notice in the Federal 

Register about last minute modifications 

that impact a previously announced 

advisory committee meeting cannot 

always be published quickly enough to 

provide timely notice. Therefore, you 

should always check the Agency’s Web 

site and call the appropriate advisory 

committee hot line/phone line to learn 

about possible modifications before 

coming to the meeting. 

Agenda: The committee will discuss 

new drug application (NDA) 202737, for 

tafamidis meglumine capsules, 

proposed trade name VYNDAQEL, 

submitted by FoldRx Pharmaceuticals, 

Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc. The 

proposed indication is for the treatment 

of transthyretin (TTR) familial amyloid 

polyneuropathy. 

FDA intends to make background 

material available to the public no later 

than 2 business days before the meeting. 

If FDA is unable to post the background 

material on its Web site prior to the 

meeting, the background material will 

be made publicly available at the 

location of the advisory committee 

meeting, and the background material 

will be posted on FDA’s Web site after 

the meeting. Background material is 

available at http://www.fda.gov/ 

AdvisoryCommittees/Calendar/ 

default.htm. Scroll down to the 

appropriate advisory committee link. 

Procedure: Interested persons may 

present data, information, or views, 

orally or in writing, on issues pending 

before the committee. Written 

submissions may be made to the contact 

person on or before May 10, 2012. Oral 

presentations from the public will be 

scheduled between approximately 

1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Those individuals 

interested in making formal oral 

presentations should notify the contact 

person and submit a brief statement of 

the general nature of the evidence or 

arguments they wish to present, the 

names and addresses of proposed 

participants, and an indication of the 

approximate time requested to make 

their presentation on or before May 2, 

2012. Time allotted for each 

presentation may be limited. If the 

number of registrants requesting to 

speak is greater than can be reasonably 

accommodated during the scheduled 

open public hearing session, FDA may 

conduct a lottery to determine the 

speakers for the scheduled open public 

hearing session. The contact person will 

notify interested persons regarding their 

request to speak by May 3, 2012. 

Persons attending FDA’s advisory 

committee meetings are advised that the 

agency is not responsible for providing 

access to electrical outlets. 

FDA welcomes the attendance of the 

public at its advisory committee 

meetings and will make every effort to 

accommodate persons with physical 

disabilities or special needs. If you 

require special accommodations due to 

a disability, please contact Glendolynn 

S. Johnson at least 7 days in advance of 

the meeting. 

FDA is committed to the orderly 

conduct of its advisory committee 

meetings. Please visit our Web site at 

http://www.fda.gov/ 

AdvisoryCommittees/ 

AboutAdvisoryCommittees/ 

ucm111462.htm for procedures on 

public conduct during advisory 

committee meetings. 

Notice of this meeting is given under 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(5 U.S.C. app. 2). 

Dated: March 29, 2012. 

Jill Hartzler Warner, 

Acting Associate Commissioner for Special 

Medical Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7967 Filed 4–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

[DHS Docket No. ICEB–2012–0002] 

RIN 1653–ZA04 

Employment Authorization for Syrian 

F–1 Nonimmigrant Students 

Experiencing Severe Economic 

Hardship as a Direct Result of Civil 

Unrest in Syria Since March 2011 

AGENCY: U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement; DHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces that 

the Secretary of Homeland Security 

(Secretary) has suspended certain 

regulatory requirements for F–1 

nonimmigrant students whose country 

of citizenship is Syria and who are 

experiencing severe economic hardship 

as a direct result of the civil unrest in 

Syria since March 2011. The Secretary 

has determined that a suspension of 

certain regulatory requirements for 

Syrian citizens who are F–1 

nonimmigrant students is warranted 

because it will provide relief to these F– 

1 students so they may obtain 

employment authorization, work an 

increased number of hours while school 

is in session, and reduce their course 

load while continuing to maintain their 

F–1 student status. F–1 students who 

are granted employment authorization 

by means of this notice will be deemed 

to be engaged in a ‘‘full course of study’’ 

for the duration of their employment 

authorization, provided that they satisfy 

the minimum course load requirement 

described in this notice. 

DATES: This notice is effective April 3, 

2012 and will remain in effect until 

October 3, 2013. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Louis Farrell, Director, Student and 

Exchange Visitor Program; MS 5600, 

U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement, 500 12th Street SW., 

Washington, DC 20536–5600; (703) 603– 

3400. This is not a toll-free number. 

Program information can be found at 

http://www.ice.gov/sevis/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

What action is DHS taking under this 

notice? 

The Secretary of Homeland Security 

(Secretary) is exercising her authority 

under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9) to temporarily 

suspend the applicability of certain 

requirements governing on-campus and 

off-campus employment. F–1 students 

granted employment authorization by 

means of this notice will be deemed to 

be engaged in a ‘‘full course of study’’ 

for the duration of their employment 

authorization if they satisfy the 

minimum course load set forth in this 

notice. See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(F). 

Who is covered by this notice? 

This notice applies exclusively to F– 

1 students whose country of citizenship 

is Syria and who were lawfully present 

in the United States in F–1 

nonimmigrant status on April 3, 2012 

under section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the 

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 

8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i) and (1) are 

enrolled in an institution that is Student 

and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) 

certified for enrollment for F–1 

students; (2) are currently maintaining 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices 20039 

F–1 status; and (3) are experiencing 

severe economic hardship as a direct 

result of the civil unrest in Syria since 

March 2011. 

This notice applies to both 

undergraduate and graduate students, as 

well as elementary school, middle 

school, and high school students. F–1 

students covered by this notice who 

transfer to other academic institutions 

that are SEVP-certified for enrollment of 

F–1 students remain eligible for the 

relief provided by means of this notice. 

Why is DHS taking this action? 

DHS is taking action to provide relief 

to F–1 students whose country of 

citizenship is Syria and who are 

experiencing severe economic hardship 

as a direct result of the civil unrest in 

Syria since March 2011. These students 

may obtain employment authorization, 

work an increased number of hours 

while school is in session, and reduce 

their course load while continuing to 

maintain their F–1 status. 

The crisis in Syria and economic 

sanctions imposed by the international 

community have negatively affected the 

whole of the Syrian economy. Given the 

current conditions in Syria, affected 

students whose primary means of 

financial support comes from Syria may 

now need to be exempt from the normal 

student employment requirements to be 

able to continue their studies in the 

United States and meet basic living 

expenses. According to DHS records, 

there are over 500 students from Syria 

enrolled in the United States for the 

current school year. The Secretary has 

determined, after consultation with 

appropriate government agencies, 

including the Department of State 

(DOS), that there exist extraordinary and 

temporary conditions in Syria since at 

least March 2011 that prevent Syrian 

nationals from returning to their home 

country in safety. The brutal 

government crackdown and the overall 

lack of security have made it unfeasible 

for students to safely return to Syria for 

the foreseeable future. To ameliorate the 

hardship arising from the lack of 

financial support from family members 

and others in Syria, and to facilitate the 

students’ continued studies in the 

United States, DHS is suspending the 

applicability of certain requirements 

governing on-campus and off-campus 

employment. 

What is the minimum course load 

requirement set forth in this notice? 

Undergraduate students who are 

granted on-campus or off-campus 

employment authorization under this 

notice must remain registered for a 

minimum of six semester/quarter hours 

of instruction per academic term. 

Graduate-level F–1 students who are 

granted on-campus or off-campus 

employment authorization under this 

notice must remain registered for a 

minimum of three semester/quarter 

hours of instruction per academic term. 

See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(v). In addition, F– 

1 students (both undergraduate and 

graduate) granted on-campus or offcampus employment authorization 

under this notice may count up to the 

equivalent of one class or three credits 

per session, term, semester, trimester, or 

quarter of online or distance education 

toward satisfying this minimum course 

load requirement, unless the student’s 

course of study is in a language study 

program. See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G). 

Elementary school, middle school, and 

high school students must maintain 

‘‘class attendance for not less than the 

minimum number of hours a week 

prescribed by the school for normal 

progress toward graduation,’’ as 

required under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(E). 

May Syrian F–1 students who already 

have on-campus or off-campus 

employment authorization benefit from 

the suspension of regulatory 

requirements under this notice? 

Yes. Syrian F–1 students who already 

have on-campus or off-campus 

employment authorization may benefit 

under this notice, which suspends 

regulatory requirements relating to the 

minimum course load requirement 

under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(A) and (B) 

and the employment eligibility 

requirements under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9) as 

specified in this notice. Such Syrian F– 

1 students may benefit without having 

to apply for a new Form I–766, 

Employment Authorization Document 

(EAD). To benefit from this notice, the 

student must request that his or her 

designated school official (DSO) enter 

the following statement in the remarks 

field of the Student and Exchange 

Visitor Information System (SEVIS) 

student record, which will be reflected 

on the student’s Form I–20, Certificate 

of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F–1) 

Student Status: 

Approved for more than 20 hours per week 

of [DSO must insert ‘‘on-campus’’ or ‘‘offcampus,’’ depending upon the type of 

employment authorization the student 

already has] employment authorization and 

reduced course load under the Special 

Student Relief authorization from [DSO must 

insert the beginning date of employment] 

until [DSO must insert the student’s program 

end date, October 3, 2013, or the current EAD 

expiration date (if the student is currently 

working off campus), whichever date comes 

first. 

Must the F–1 student apply for 

reinstatement after expiration of this 

special employment authorization if the 

student reduces his or her full course of 

study? 

No. F–1 students who are granted 

employment authorization under this 

notice will be deemed to be engaged in 

a ‘‘full course of study’’ for the duration 

of their employment authorization, 

provided that qualifying undergraduate 

level F–1 students remain registered for 

a minimum of six semester/quarter 

hours of instruction per academic term, 

and qualifying graduate level F–1 

students remain registered for a 

minimum of three semester/quarter 

hours of instruction per academic term. 

See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(v) and (f)(6)(i)(F). 

Such students will not be required to 

apply for reinstatement under 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(16) if they are otherwise 

maintaining F–1 status. 

Will F–2 dependents (spouse or minor 

children) of F–1 students covered by 

this notice be eligible to apply for 

employment authorization? 

No. An F–2 spouse or minor child of 

an F–1 student is not authorized to work 

in the United States and, therefore, may 

not accept employment under the F–2 

status. See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(15)(i). 

Will the suspension of the applicability 

of the standard student employment 

requirements apply to aliens who are 

granted an F–1 visa after this notice is 

published in the Federal Register? 

No. The suspension of the 

applicability of the standard regulatory 

requirements only applies to those F–1 

students whose country of citizenship is 

Syria and who were lawfully present in 

the United States in F–1 nonimmigrant 

status on April 3, 2012 under section 

101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 

1101(a)(15)(F)(i) and (1) are enrolled in 

an institution that is SEVP certified for 

enrollment of F–1 students; (2) are 

currently maintaining F–1 status; and 

(3) are experiencing severe economic 

hardship as a direct result of the civil 

unrest in Syria. F–1 students who do 

not meet these requirements do not 

qualify for the suspension of the 

applicability of the standard regulatory 

requirements, even if they are 

experiencing severe economic hardship 

as a direct result of the civil unrest in 

Syria since March 2011. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

20040 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices 

1Minimum course load requirement for 

enrollment in a school must be established in a 

publicly available document (e.g., catalog, Web site, 

or operating procedure), and it must be a standard 

applicable to all students (U.S. citizens and foreign 

students) enrolled at the school. 

2Minimum course load requirement for 

enrollment in a school must be established in a 

publicly available document (e.g., catalog, Web site, 

or operating procedure), and it must be a standard 

applicable to all students (U.S. citizens and foreign 

students) enrolled at the school. 

Does this notice apply to an F–1 student 

who departs the United States after this 

notice is published in the Federal 

Register and who needs to obtain a new 

F–1 visa before he or she may return to 

the United States to continue his or her 

educational programs? 

Yes, provided that the DSO has 

properly notated the student’s SEVIS 

record, which will then appear on the 

student’s Form I–20. Subject to the 

specific terms of this notice, the normal 

rules for visa issuance (including those 

related to public charge and 

nonimmigrant intent) remain applicable 

to nonimmigrants that need to apply for 

a new F–1 visa in order to continue 

their educational programs in the 

United States. 

Does this notice apply to elementary 

school, middle school, and high school 

students in F–1 status? 

Yes. But this notice does not reduce 

the required course load for elementary 

school, middle school, or high school 

students in F–1 status. Such students 

must maintain the minimum number of 

hours of class attendance per week 

prescribed by the school for normal 

progress toward graduation. See 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(6)(i)(E). Eligible F–1 students 

from Syria enrolled in an elementary 

school, middle school, or high school do 

benefit from the suspension of the 

requirement in 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) that 

limits on-campus employment to 20 

hours per week while school is in 

session. With regard to off-campus 

employment, elementary school, middle 

school, and high school students benefit 

from the suspension of the requirement 

that a student must have been in F–1 

status for one full academic year in 

order to be eligible for off-campus 

employment and the requirement that 

limits a student’s work authorization to 

no more than 20 hours per week of offcampus employment while school is in 

session. DHS notes, however, that the 

suspension of these requirements is 

solely for DHS purposes of determining 

valid F–1 status. Nothing in this notice 

affects the applicability of federal and 

state labor laws limiting the 

employment of minors. The suspension 

of certain regulatory requirements 

related to employment through this 

notice is applicable to all eligible F–1 

students—regardless of educational 

level—as required by the regulations at 

8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) and (f)(9)(ii). 

On-Campus Employment Authorization 

Will F–1 students who are granted oncampus employment authorization 

under this notice be authorized to work 

more than 20 hours per week while 

school is in session? 

Yes. For F–1 students covered in this 

notice, the Secretary is suspending the 

applicability of the requirement in 8 

CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) that limits an F–1 

student’s on-campus employment to 20 

hours per week while school is in 

session. A student whose country of 

citizenship is Syria and who is 

experiencing severe economic hardship 

as result of civil unrest in Syria since 

March 1, 2011 is authorized to work 

more than 20 hours per week while 

school is in session if his or her DSO has 

entered the following statement in the 

remarks field of the SEVIS student 

record, which will be reflected on the 

student’s Form I–20: 

Approved for more than 20 hours per week 

of on-campus employment and reduced 

course load, under the Special Student Relief 

authorization from [DSO must insert the 

beginning date of employment] until [DSO 

must insert the student’s program end date or 

October 3, 2013, whichever date comes first]. 

To obtain on-campus employment 

authorization, the student must 

demonstrate to his or her DSO that the 

employment is necessary to avoid 

severe economic hardship that is 

directly resulting from the civil unrest 

in Syria. A student authorized by his or 

her DSO to engage in on-campus 

employment by means of this notice 

does not need to make any filing with 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services (USCIS). The standard rules 

permitting fulltime work on-campus 

when school is not in session or during 

school vacations apply. See 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(9)(i). 

Will F–1 students who are granted oncampus employment authorization 

under this notice be authorized to 

reduce their normal course load and 

still maintain their F–1 nonimmigrant 

status? 

Yes. F–1 students who are granted oncampus employment authorization 

under this notice will be deemed to be 

engaged in a ‘‘full course of study’’ for 

the purpose of maintaining their F–1 

status for the duration of their oncampus employment if they satisfy the 

minimum course load requirement 

described in this notice. See 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(6)(i)(F). However, the 

authorization for reduced course load is 

solely for DHS purposes of determining 

valid F–1 status. Nothing in this notice 

mandates that a school allow a student 

to take a reduced course load if the 

reduction would not meet the school’s 

minimum course load requirement for 

continued enrollment.1

Off-Campus Employment Authorization 

What regulatory requirements does this 

notice temporarily suspend relating to 

off-campus employment? 

For F–1 students covered by this 

notice, as provided under 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(9)(ii)(A), the Secretary is 

suspending the following regulatory 

requirements relating to off-campus 

employment: 

(a) The requirement that a student 

must have been in F–1 status for one 

full academic year in order to be eligible 

for off-campus employment; 

(b) The requirement that an F–1 

student must demonstrate that 

acceptance of employment will not 

interfere with the student’s carrying a 

full course of study; and 

(c) The requirement that limits a 

student’s work authorization to no more 

than 20 hours per week of off-campus 

employment while school is in session. 

Will F–1 students who are granted offcampus employment authorization 

under this notice be authorized to 

reduce their normal course load and 

still maintain their F–1 nonimmigrant 

status? 

Yes. F–1 students who are granted 

employment authorization by means of 

this notice will be deemed to be engaged 

in a ‘‘full course of study’’ for purpose 

of maintaining their F–1 status for the 

duration of their employment 

authorization if they satisfy the 

minimum course load requirement 

described in this notice. See 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(6)(i)(F). However, the 

authorization for reduced course load is 

solely for DHS purposes of determining 

valid F–1 status. Nothing in this notice 

mandates that a school allow a student 

to take reduced course load if such 

reduced course load would not meet the 

school’s minimum course load 

requirement.2

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices 20041 

How may Syrian F–1 students obtain 

employment authorization for offcampus employment with a reduced 

course load under this notice? 

F–1 students must file a Form I–765 

Application for Employment 

Authorization with USCIS if they wish 

to apply for off-campus employment 

authorization based on severe economic 

hardship resulting from the civil unrest 

in Syria since March 1, 2011. Filing 

instructions are located at: http:// 

www.uscis.gov/i-765. 

Fee considerations. Submission of a 

Form I–765 currently requires payment 

of a $380 fee. If the applicant is unable 

to pay the fee, he or she may submit a 

completed Form I–912, Request for Fee 

Waiver, along with the Form I–765 

Application for Employment 

Authorization. The applicant must 

follow all form instructions associated 

with the Form I–912, which are 

available at: http://www.uscis.gov/ 

feewaiver. The submission must include 

an explanation of why he or she should 

be granted the fee waiver and the 

reasons for his or her inability to pay. 

See 8 CFR 103.7(c). 

Supporting documentation. An F–1 

student seeking off-campus employment 

authorization due to severe economic 

hardship must demonstrate to the DSO 

at the school where the F–1 student is 

enrolled that this employment is 

necessary to avoid severe economic 

hardship and that the hardship is 

resulting from the civil unrest in Syria 

since March 1, 2011. If the DSO agrees 

that the student should receive such 

employment authorization, he or she 

must recommend application approval 

to USCIS by entering the following 

statement in the remarks field of the 

student’s SEVIS record, which will then 

appear on the student’s Form I–20: 

Recommended for off-campus employment 

authorization in excess of 20 hours per week 

and reduced course load under the Special 

Student Relief authorization from the date of 

the USCIS authorization noted on Form I– 

766 until [DSO must insert the program end 

date or October 3, 2013, whichever date 

comes first. 

The student must then file the 

properly endorsed Form I–20 and Form 

I–765, according to the instructions for 

the Form I–765. The student may begin 

working off campus only upon receipt 

of the EAD from USCIS. 

DSO recommendation. In making a 

recommendation that a student be 

approved for Special Student Relief, the 

DSO certifies that: 

(a) The student is in good academic 

standing as determined by the DSO; 

(b) The student is a citizen of Syria 

and is experiencing severe economic 

hardship as a direct result of the civil 

unrest in Syria since March 1, 2011, as 

documented on the Form I–20; 

(c) The student is carrying a full 

course of study at the time of the request 

for employment authorization; 

(d) The student will be registered for 

the duration of his or her authorized 

employment for a minimum of six 

semester or quarter hours of instruction 

per academic term if the student is at 

the undergraduate level, or for a 

minimum of three semester or quarter 

hours of instruction per academic term 

if the student is at the graduate level; 

and 

(e) The off-campus employment is 

necessary to alleviate severe economic 

hardship to the individual caused by the 

civil unrest in Syria since March 1, 

2011. 

Processing. To facilitate prompt 

adjudication of the student’s application 

for off-campus employment 

authorization under 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(9)(ii)(C), the student should: 

(a) ensure that the application 

package includes: (1) A completed Form 

I–765; (2) the required fee or properly 

documented fee waiver request as 

defined in 8 CFR 103.7(c); and (3) a 

signed and dated copy of the student’s 

Form I–20 with the appropriate DSO 

recommendation, as previously 

described in this notice; and 

(b) send the application in an 

envelope which is clearly marked on the 

front of the envelope, bottom right-hand 

side, with the phrase ‘‘SPECIAL 

STUDENT RELIEF.’’ Failure to include 

this notation may result in significant 

processing delays. If USCIS approves 

the student’s Form I–765, the USCIS 

official will send the student a Form I– 

766 EAD as evidence of his or her 

employment authorization. The EAD 

will contain an expiration date that does 

not exceed the student’s program end 

date. 

Temporary Protected Status 

Considerations 

Can an F–1 student apply for 

Temporary Protected Status and for 

benefits under this notice at the same 

time? 

Yes. An F–1 student who has not yet 

applied for Temporary Protected Status 

(TPS) or for student relief under this 

notice has two options. Under the first 

option, the student may file the TPS 

application according to the instructions 

in the Federal Register Notice 

designating Syria for TPS. See 77 FR 

19026, March 29, 2012. 

All TPS applicants must file a Form 

I–821 Application for Temporary 

Protected Status, along with Form I– 

765, even if the applicants are not 

seeking employment authorization 

under TPS. The fee (or a properly 

documented fee waiver request) for 

Form I–765 is required only if the 

applicant is seeking employment 

authorization under TPS. See 8 CFR 

244.6. If the student files a TPS 

application and requests employment 

authorization under TPS, once the 

student receives the TPS-related EAD, 

the student may request that his or her 

DSO make the required entry in SEVIS, 

issue an updated Form I–20, as 

described in this notice, and note that 

the student has been authorized to carry 

a reduced course load and is working 

pursuant to a TPS-related EAD. So long 

as the student maintains the minimum 

course load described in this notice, 

does not otherwise violate his or her 

nonimmigrant status as provided under 

8 CFR 214.1(g), and maintains his or her 

TPS, then the student maintains F–1 

status and TPS concurrently. Under the 

second option, the student may apply 

for an EAD under student relief. In this 

instance, Form I–765 must be filed with 

the location specified in the filing 

instructions. At the same time, the 

student may file a separate TPS 

application, but must submit the TPS 

application according to the instructions 

provided in the Federal Register Notice 

designating Syria for TPS. Because the 

student has already applied for 

employment authorization under 

student relief, the Form I–765 submitted 

as part of the TPS application is without 

fee and the applicant should not check 

any of the boxes requesting a TPSrelated EAD. Again, the student will be 

able to maintain F–1 status and TPS. 

When a student applies simultaneously 

for TPS status and benefits under this 

notice, what is the minimum course 

load requirement while an application 

for employment authorization is 

pending? 

The student must maintain normal 

course load requirements for a full 

course of study unless or until he or she 

is granted employment authorization 

under this notice. TPS-related 

employment authorization, by itself, 

does not authorize a student to drop 

below 12 credit hours. Once approved 

for ‘‘severe economic hardship’’ 

employment authorization, the student 

may drop below 12 credit hours (with 

a minimum of six semester or quarter 

hours of instruction per academic term 

if the student is at the undergraduate 

level, or a minimum of three semester 

or quarter hours of instruction per 

academic term if the student is at the 

graduate level). See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6), 

214.2(f)(5)(v), 214.2(f)(9)(i) and (ii). 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

20042 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 3, 2012 / Notices 

If a student has been approved for 

employment authorization under TPS, 

how does he or she apply for 

authorization to take a reduced course 

load under this notice? 

There is no further application 

process. The student only needs to 

demonstrate economic hardship caused 

by the March 1, 2011 civil unrest in 

Syria to his or her DSO and receive the 

DSO recommendation in SEVIS. No 

other EAD will be issued. 

Can a student who has been granted 

TPS, and has allowed his or her F–1 

status to lapse, apply for reinstatement 

to F–1 student status? 

Yes. Current regulations permit a 

student who falls out of student status 

to apply for reinstatement. See 8 CFR 

214.2(f)(16). For example, this provision 

would apply to a student who worked 

on a TPS-related EAD or dropped his or 

her course load before publication of 

this notice, and therefore fell out of 

student status. The student must satisfy 

the criteria set forth in the student status 

reinstatement regulations. 

How long will this notice remain in 

effect? 

This notice grants temporary relief 

until October 3, 2013 to a specific group 

of F–1 students whose country of 

citizenship is Syria. DHS will continue 

to monitor the situation in Syria. Should 

the special provisions authorized by this 

notice need to be modified or extended, 

DHS will announce such changes in the 

Federal Register. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

An F–1 student seeking off-campus 

employment authorization due to severe 

economic hardship must demonstrate to 

the DSO at the school where he or she 

is enrolled that this employment is 

necessary to avoid severe economic 

hardship. If the DSO agrees that the 

student should receive such 

employment authorization, he or she 

must recommend application approval 

to USCIS by entering information in the 

remarks field of the student’s SEVIS 

record. The authority to collect this 

information is currently contained in 

the SEVIS collection of information 

currently approved by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) under 

OMB Control Number 1653–0038. 

This notice also allows F–1 students 

whose country of citizenship is Syria 

and who are experiencing severe 

economic hardship as a direct result of 

civil unrest in Syria since March 1, 

2011, to obtain employment 

authorization, work an increased 

number of hours while school is in 

session, and reduce their course load, 

while continuing to maintain their F–1 

student status. 

To apply for work authorization an F– 

1 student must complete and submit 

currently approved Form I–765 

according to the instructions on the 

form. The authority to collect the 

information contained on the current 

Form I–765 has previously been 

approved by OMB under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (PRA) under OMB 

Control No. 1615–0040. Although there 

will be a slight increase in the number 

of Form I–765 filings because of this 

notice, the number of filings currently 

contained in the OMB annual inventory 

for Form I–765 is sufficient to cover the 

additional filings. Accordingly, there is 

no further action required under the 

PRA. 

Janet Napolitano, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7960 Filed 4–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

[Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA–4061– 

DR; Docket ID FEMA–2012–0002] 

West Virginia; Major Disaster and 

Related Determinations 

AGENCY: Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a notice of the 

Presidential declaration of a major 

disaster for the State of West Virginia 

(FEMA–4061–DR), dated March 22, 

2012, and related determinations. 

DATES: Effective Date: March 22, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peggy Miller, Office of Response and 

Recovery, Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, 500 C Street SW., 

Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646–3886. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that, in a letter dated 

March 22, 2012, the President issued a 

major disaster declaration under the 

authority of the Robert T. Stafford 

Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. 

(the ‘‘Stafford Act’’), as follows: 

I have determined that the damage in 

certain areas of the State of West Virginia 

resulting from severe storms, flooding, 

mudslides, and landslides beginning on 

March 15, 2012, and continuing, is of 

sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant 

a major disaster declaration under the Robert 

T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. (the 

‘‘Stafford Act’’). Therefore, I declare that such 

a major disaster exists in the State of West 

Virginia. 

In order to provide Federal assistance, you 

are hereby authorized to allocate from funds 

available for these purposes such amounts as 

you find necessary for Federal disaster 

assistance and administrative expenses. 

You are authorized to provide Individual 

Assistance and Public Assistance in the 

designated areas and Hazard Mitigation 

throughout the State. Consistent with the 

requirement that Federal assistance is 

supplemental, any Federal funds provided 

under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance, 

Hazard Mitigation, and Other Needs 

Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of 

the total eligible costs. 

Further, you are authorized to make 

changes to this declaration for the approved 

assistance to the extent allowable under the 

Stafford Act. 

The time period prescribed for the 

implementation of section 310(a), 

Priority to Certain Applications for 

Public Facility and Public Housing 

Assistance, 42 U.S.C. 5153, shall be for 

a period not to exceed six months after 

the date of this declaration. 

The Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice that 

pursuant to the authority vested in the 

Administrator, under Executive Order 

12148, as amended, Deanne Criswell, of 

FEMA is appointed to act as the Federal 

Coordinating Officer for this major 

disaster. 

The following areas of the State of 

West Virginia have been designated as 

adversely affected by this major disaster: 

Logan County for Individual Assistance. 

Lincoln, Logan, and Mingo Counties for 

Public Assistance. 

All counties within the State of West 

Virginia are eligible to apply for assistance 

under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. 

The following Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used 

for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, 

Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora 

Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 

97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 

97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 

97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to 

Individuals and Households In Presidentially 

Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, 

Presidentially Declared Disaster Assistance— 

Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals 

and Households; 97.050, Presidentially 

Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals 

and Households—Other Needs; 97.036, 

Disaster Grants—Public Assistance 

(Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039, 

Hazard Mitigation Grant. 

W. Craig Fugate, 

Administrator, Federal Emergency 

Management Agency. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7930 Filed 4–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–23–P 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES