Official Memo

United States Department of State
Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Passport Services
Washington, D. C. 20520

July 28, 2017
Naomi Rao, Administrator
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
725 171h Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Dear Ms. Rao:
Pursuant to 5 CFR § 1320.13, the Department of State requests OMB emergency
approval to begin a new collection of information for certain U.S. nationals who wish to travel to
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The reasons for the request are in the
attached Justification for Emergency Review.
The Secretary has the authority, under 22 U.S.C. § 211a, Executive Order 11295, and 22
C.F.R. 51.63 to invalidate all U.S. passports for travel to a country if he determines that any of
three conditions exist: the country is at war with the United States; armed hostilities are in
progress in the country; or there is imminent danger to the public health or physical safety of
U.S. travelers in the country. The Secretary of State intends to impose such a restriction with
respect to travel to the DPRK, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. § 211a, Executive Order 11295, and 22
CFR §§ 51.63 and 51.64, upon determining that there is imminent danger to the public health or
physical safety of U.S. travelers in the DPRK.
The Department has not yet published a determination in the Federal Register, but such
publication is imminent. The passport restriction, which will be effective thirty days after
publication, will invalidate all U.S. passports for travel in, through, or to the DPRK. Once the
passport restriction is in effect, a U.S. national may only use a U.S. passport to travel to the
DPRK if it has been specially validated, consistent with 22 C.F.R. § 51.64. An individual
wishing to travel to the DPRK will need to submit a request for a U.S. passport containing a
special validation to the Department and demonstrate that issuance of the special validation is in
the national interest of the United States.
The applicant will, at a minimum, need to provide a written request along with a copy of
a valid government issued photo identification with date ofbirth, current contact information,
and must state the reason for the travel, including the specific category into which the applicant
feels his or her trip is in the national interest under 22 C.F .R. §51.64; and any documentation that
may support the basis for his or her request. If approved, the applicant may submit a DS-82
passport application for a second passport (or DS-11, if applicable). Any passport issued will be
valid for one year and permit one round trip to the DPRK.

This will be a new information collection, but it will augment the following approved
information collections: OMB Control Number 1405-0004 (Application for a U.S. Passport) and
OMB Control Number 1405-0020 (U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals).
Sincerely,

~vJ~
Brenda S. Sprague
Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Passport Services
Bureau of Consular Affairs