PRA N-400 Supp Statement (4-13-06)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Application for Naturalization

Form N-400

(OMB No. 1615-0052)

A. Justification.

1. The Form N-400 is an application the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides for the use of immigrants who apply for naturalization (8 CFR 316.4). The USCIS uses the N-400 to determine whether the applicant is eligible for U.S. citizenship.

2. The USCIS uses information collected on the N-400 to determine the applicant’s eligibility for naturalization.

3. At this time, this form provides the most efficient means for collecting and processing the required data. USCIS is in the process of further enhancing customer service by developing a means of accepting electronic submissions of applications as part of the business transformation project. The Form N-400 will be included as part of this project.

4. A review of the USCIS Forms Inventory Report revealed no duplication of effort, and there is no other similar information currently available that can be used for this purpose.

5. The collection of information does not have an impact on small businesses or other small entities.

6. The information collected on the Form N-400 is essential to documenting whether the applicant has met all the eligibility requirements for naturalization. If the information collection is not conducted, USCIS would not be able to determine if an applicant’s eligibility requirements for naturalization were met, nor would adjudication officers be able to conduct a meaningful adjudication interview.

7. The special circumstances contained in item 7 of the supporting statement are not applicable to this information collection.

8. USCIS published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register on February 28, 2006, at 71 FR 10047, allowing for public comment. USCIS did not receive any comments from members of the public.

9. The USCIS does not provide payments or gifts to respondents in exchange for a benefit sought.

10. There is no assurance of confidentiality.

11. There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Annual Reporting Burden:

1. Number of Respondents 700,000

2. Number of Responses per each Respondent 1

3. Total Annual Responses 700,000

4. Hours per Response 6.13

5. Total Annual Reporting Burden 4,291,000

Annual Reporting Burden

The total annual reporting burden is 4,291,000. This figure is based on the number of respondents (700,000) multiplied by x 6 hours and 8 minutes (6.13) per response. The projected hours per response for this collection of information were derived by breaking the process into three basic components:

Reviewing Naturalization Guide: 8 minutes

Completion of the Form: 2 hours

Assembling Documents: 4 hours

Total Hours per Response: 6 hours, 8 minutes

13. There are no capital or start-up costs associated with this information collection. Any cost burdens to respondents as a result of this collection are identified in item 14. There is a $330 fee associated with the filing of this information collection, and a biometrics fee of $70.

14. Annualized Cost Analysis:

1. Printing Cost $ 1,008,000

2. Collecting and Processing Cost $ 278,992,000

3. Total Cost to Program $ 280,000,000

4. Fee Charge $ 280,000,000

5. Total Cost to Government 0

Government Cost

The estimated cost of the program to the Government is calculated by using the estimated number of adult respondents (700,000) x $330 (which includes the suggested average hourly rate for clerical, officer, and managerial time with benefits, plus a percent for the estimated overhead cost for printing, stocking, distributing and processing of this form); plus 700,000 x $70 (for capturing biometric information in connection with an application for naturalization).

Public Cost

The estimated annual public cost is $322,910,000. This is based on:

• The number of respondents (700,000) x hours of response (6.13 hours) x average hourly rate ($10);

• The number of respondents (700,000) x the fee ($330); and

• The number of respondents (700,000) x the biometric fee ($70);

1. There has been no increase or decrease in the burden hours associated with the collection of this information. However, there has been an increase in the application fee from $320 to $330.

2. USCIS does not intend to employ the use of statistics or the publication thereof for this collection of information.

3. USCIS will display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection.

4. USCIS does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection. See attached Item 19 of Form OMB 83-I.

2. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

Not applicable.

2. Certification and Signatures.

PAPERWORK CERTIFICATION

In submitting this request for OMB approval, I certify that the requirements of the Privacy Act and OMB directives have been complied with including paperwork regulations, statistical standards or directives, and any other information policy directives promulgated under 5 CFR 1320.

_______________________________________ ____________________

Richard A. Sloan Date

Director,

Regulatory Management Division,

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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