05-14123. Agency Information Collection Activities: Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

30-Day notice of information collection under review: Application for Naturalization, Form N-400.

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on May 16, 2005 at 70 FR 25842, allowed for a 60-day public comment period. The USCIS received several comments and recommendations from the public regarding improvements to this information collection. We have taken them under consideration for the 2006 revisions to this form.

The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until August 18, 2005. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

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 proposed 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 Naturalization.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: Form N-400. 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 or Households. The USCIS uses the information collected to determine eligibility for naturalization.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 700,000 responses at 6 hours and 8 minutes (6.13) per response.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: 4,291,000 annual burden hours.

If you have additional comments, suggestions, or need a copy of the information collection instrument, please contact Richard A. Sloan, Director, Regulatory Management Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20529; [phone].

Dated: July 14, 2005.

Richard A. Sloan,

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