SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION
Affidavit of
Identifying Witness
OMB Number 1405-0088
DS-0071
A. JUSTIFICATION
The Affidavit of Identifying Witness (DS-0071) is used in conjunction with the Application for a U.S. Passport (DS-0011). It is used by Passport Agents, Passport Acceptance Agents, and Consular Officers to collect information for the purpose of establishing the identity of a passport applicant who has not submitted adequate evidence with his/her passport application. The affidavit is executed by an identifying witness for a person applying for a passport who is otherwise unable to sufficiently identify himself or herself.
The legal authorities under which the information is requested include, but are not limited to, the following:
22 U.S.C. § 211a, et seq.;
Executive Order 11295;
22 C.F.R. Part 51, including 22 C.F.R. 51.24.
The DS-0071 is used by the Department of State to document a passport applicant’s identity. Lack of identity information may result in the denial of the applicant’s application for a U.S. passport. Inaccurate identity evidence could possibly result in issuance of a passport to a non-U.S. citizen or to a U.S. citizen using an assumed identity.
Due to established regulations requiring an original signature, a complete end-to-end electronic submission for this form is not possible. Due to legislative mandates Form DS-0071 is only available at acceptance facilities and passport agencies and must be completed and signed in the presence of an authorized Passport Agent, Acceptance Agent, or Consular Officer. Efforts will continue to investigate electronic options while continuing to meet legislated requirements.
The DS-0071 is the sole Department of State form that is used when a passport applicant cannot furnish proper identity documentation and seeks to submit the testimony of an identifying witness in support of the application.
The collection of information does not involve small businesses or other small entities.
If the information solicited in the DS-0071 were not collected, passport applicants who lack sufficient documentation of identity (such as government-issued photo IDs) would be unable to establish their identities and would be unable to obtain U.S. passports.
No such special circumstances exist.
This collection was published for public comment in the Federal Register as Public Notice 6412. This notice was posted in Volume 73, Number 203, Pages 62359-62360, October 20, 2008. A copy of the notice is attached.
A member of the public submitted one comment that is not germane to this collection. A copy of the comment is attached. The Department of State has no response to this comment.
This information collection does not provide any payment or gift to respondents.
This form includes a Privacy Act Statement explaining the routine use exceptions to the Act. (5 U.S.C. § 552a)
The DS-0071 does not ask questions of a sensitive nature.
The estimated burden of five minutes required per response is based on a sampling of time required to complete the form. The number of respondents that require an affidavit of identifying witness is estimated at 163,300 per year. The annual burden is estimated to be 13,608 hours. (163,300 x 5 minutes)
There is no cost to the respondent associated with this form.
There is no cost to the Federal government for this collection.
The program change indicated on OMB Form 83-I reflects an increase in the number of respondents due to the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
This collection of information will not be published for statistical use.
Expiration date for OMB approval will be displayed.
No exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,” are being requested.
This collection does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR |
| Author | USDOS |
| Last Modified By | agnewam |
| File Modified | 2009-01-23 |
| File Created | 2009-01-23 |