05-21106. Agency Information Collection Activities: Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

60-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review; Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement of Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; Form I-612.

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has submitted the following information collection request for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until December 20, 2005.

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the collection of information should address one or more of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) 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.

Overview of this information collection:

(1) Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: Application for Waiver of the Foreign Residence Requirement of Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: Form I-612. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Primary: Individuals and households. This form is used by the USCIS to determine eligibility for a waiver.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 1,300 responses at 20 minutes (.333) per response.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: 432 annual burden hours.

If you have comments, suggestions, or need a copy of the information collection instrument, please contact Richard A. Sloan, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20529. Information about USCIS forms is available online at the USCIS Forms, Fees and Fingerprints Information Center. The Forms and Fees link provides information on immigration forms and how to print them. We recommend that you obtain all of your forms by downloading (printing) them from this web site. This will ensure that you will have the most up-to-date version of the form that is currently available.

Richard A. Sloan,

Director, Regulatory Management Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.