FOIA requests may be submitted in any
written form. However, Form G-639 and the Freedom of Information
Act Immigration Records SysTem (FIRST) e-filing process are
convenient tools for individuals to provide the data necessary for
identification of a particular record requested under FOIA.
Submitting a FOIA request via Form G-639 or FIRST ensure
expeditious handling of this type of request.
US Code:
5 USC
552 Name of Law: Administrative Procedures Act
The estimated annual time
burden to respondents for this collection of information has
increased. USCIS has made a programmatic change to include an
e-filing instrument to this information collection, which added a
new respondent population and a new estimated time burden for
completing an e-filed response. Additionally, USCIS increased the
estimated time burden per response and increased the estimated
number of respondents for the G-639 paper filing instrument.
Although USCIS did make revisions to the content of Form G-639, the
increase in the estimated time burden per response was not as a
result of those changes. Rather, the agency reevaluated its
estimate of the time burden per response and concluded that the
previously reported time burden should be increased. The estimated
annual cost burden to respondents for this collection of
information has increased. USCIS has revised its estimate of the
average cost for notary services and the percentage of the
respondent population that might pay that cost. Respondents may
need to pay costs for notary services regardless of the information
collection instrument they choose to use when submitting a
FOIA/Privacy Act request.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.