Justification for change to DS-11

Explanation of Changes to Approved Collection

Application for a U.S. Passport

OMB No. 1405-0004, Form DS-11

Expires 08/31/2008

Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. passport, is used by U.S. citizens and non-citizen nationals who are applying for a U.S. passport and are required sign the application in person before an authorized agent. The requested changes reflect significant reformatting for more efficient processing and extend the use of the DS-11 to citizens and non-citizen nationals who are applying for a U.S. passport in card format. The revised DS-11 makes available the option of applying for a U.S. passport book, a U.S. passport card, or both, using a single application form. In addition to format changes and inclusion of the card format passport, the DS-11 has also been changed to require the consent of both parents when applying for a child under age 16. Previously, the DS-11 required two-parent consent for minors under age 14. The changes to the application form are necessary to reflect rule changes that are currently under final OMB review. [RIN-1400-AC22 (card format passport) and RIN 1400-AC28 (age for two parent consent)]

As early as January 1, 2008, all adult U.S. citizens and nationals will be required to show a passport or similar acceptable document to re-enter the United States at all land and sea ports of entry. This is the final implementation phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the first phase of which required that all travelers present a passport to re-enter the United States at air ports of entry as of January 23, 2007. The card format passport is a wallet-sized version of a U.S. passport which will be accepted for international travel at land and sea ports of entry between the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The passport card was developed to provide a more convenient and less expensive document for use by the millions U.S. citizens living in border towns, crossing the border to Canada and Mexico on a daily basis.

The Department is currently in the procurement process for the passport card and intends to begin issuing the documents as soon as large scale production of the document is possible. The planned date for acceptance of passport card applications and enforcement of the new rule requiring parental consent for minors under age 16 is February 1, 2008. Following OMB approval of the changes to this collection, Passport Services anticipates up to 10 weeks for printing and distribution of the application forms. It is imperative that Passport Services have a supply of these revised forms available in the 18 passport issuance locations and over 9,000 application acceptance locations in advance of the February date. This is only possible if an approved draft is provided to the printer no later than November 30, 2007. A delay in the availability of the card-inclusive version of Form DS-11 would leave millions of U.S. citizens with no way to apply for the passport card.

The changes to Form DS-11 are primarily visual, but do include a box that an applicant may use to indicate whether a traditional passport book, a passport card, or both, is being requested. The time burden per application does not change. The DS-11 solicits the same information, since the information and supporting documentation required to issue a passport is the same, regardless of format. . The applicant makes a single payment and follows the same submission process. The adjudication process is the same for Passport Services. The only difference is the end product – either a passport book, a passport card, or both, will be printed. The total annual time burden has been adjusted due to the significant increase in passport demand following the implementation of the WHTI. There is currently no accurate count of expected number of new passport applications due to this WHTI initiative, but a very rough estimate is that 16.1 million applications for passports will be submitted annually using form DS-11. This would cause an increase of 10,908,333 hours from the current OMB totals. Final projections are currently being tabulated as part of the Department’s recent Passport Demand Survey, which will more accurately estimate future passport application requests.

Though the execution fee associated with the DS-11 will be lowered when the passport card rule is implemented, the price for the traditional passport book itself will not change. The passport card will be offered at a lower price. The lower fees for the passport card and the reduced execution fee result in a decrease in potential individual application costs. However, for overall cost burden calculations, due to the new WHTI, the tremendous increase in the number of passport applications has led to an increase in cost burden which offsets the decrease in fees.

The charts below detail the current vs. the new fee schedules:

Current Fee Schedule

Age	Passport	Execution fee	Total cost
16 and up	67	30	97
Under 16	52	30	82

Fee for expedited service: $60 per application

New Fee Schedule

Age	Passport Book only	Passport Card only	Passport Book and Passport Card combined	Execution Fee	TOTAL Cost
16 and up	67			25	92
Under 16	52			25	77
16 and up		20		25	45
Under 16		10		25	35
16 and up			87	25	112
Under 16			62	25	87

Fee for expedited service: $60 per application