Pta

Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

PRIVACY THRESHOLD ANALYSIS (PTA)
This form serves as the official determination by the DHS Privacy Office to
identify the privacy compliance requirements for all Departmental uses of
personally identifiable information (PII).
A Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) serves as the document used to identify
information technology (IT) systems, information collections/forms, technologies,
rulemakings, programs, information sharing arrangements, or pilot projects that involve
PII and other activities that otherwise impact the privacy of individuals as determined by
the Chief Privacy Officer, pursuant to Section 222 of the Homeland Security Act, and to
assess whether there is a need for additional Privacy Compliance Documentation. A PTA
includes a general description of the IT system, information collection, form, technology,
rulemaking, program, pilot project, information sharing arrangement, or other Department
activity and describes what PII is collected (and from whom) and how that information is
used and managed.
Please complete the attached Privacy Threshold Analysis and submit it to your
component Privacy Office. After review by your component Privacy Officer the PTA is sent
to the Department’s Senior Director for Privacy Compliance for action. If you do not have a
component Privacy Office, please send the PTA to the DHS Privacy Office:
Senior Director, Privacy Compliance
The Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
Tel: 202-343-1717
[email protected]
Upon receipt from your component Privacy Office, the DHS Privacy Office will review this
form and assess whether any privacy compliance documentation is required. If compliance
documentation is required – such as Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), System of Records
Notice (SORN), Privacy Act Statement, or Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) – the DHS
Privacy Office or component Privacy Office will send you a copy of the relevant compliance
template to complete and return.

Privacy Threshold Analysis – IC/Form

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA)

Specialized Template for
Information Collections (IC) and Forms
The Forms-PTA is a specialized template for Information Collections and Forms. This
specialized PTA must accompany all Information Collections submitted as part of the
Paperwork Reduction Act process (any instrument for collection (form, survey,
questionnaire, etc.) from ten or more members of the public). Components may use this PTA
to assess internal, component-specific forms as well.
Form Number:

Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)

Form Title:

Click here to enter text.

Component:

U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services
(USCIS)

Office:

Service Center
Operations Directorate
(SCOPS)

IF COVERED BY THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT:
Collection Title:
Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)

OMB Control
Number:
Collection status:

Name:
Office:
Phone:

Name:

1615-0001
Extension

OMB Expiration

July 31, 2022

Date of last PTA (if
applicable):

November 23, 2018

PROJECT OR PROGRAM MANAGER
Daniel J. Kane
SCOPS
Title:
SAFE Branch Chief
202-907-6229
Email:
[email protected]
COMPONENT INFORMATION COLLECTION/FORMS CONTACT
Emily Ballas

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

Office:
Phone:

Office of Policy and
Strategy
240-721-3511

Title:

Policy Analyst

[email protected]
SPECIFIC IC/Forms PTA QUESTIONS
Email:

1. Purpose of the Information Collection or Form
a. Describe the purpose of the information collection or form. Please provide a
general description of the project and its purpose, including how it supports the DHS
mission, in a way a non-technical person could understand (you may use
information from the Supporting Statement).
If this is an updated PTA, please specifically describe what changes or upgrades are
triggering the update to this PTA.
September 2021 PTA Update:
USCIS is submitting this PTA update due to the forthcoming expiration of the previous
PTA and an extension request pertaining to its OMB Control Number and Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) requirements. There are no substantive changes to the form or the
information collection.
The purpose of the Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), is for U.S. citizens wishing
to bring their fiancé(e) (K-1 visa) and that person's children (K-2 visa) to the U.S. for
marriage to the petitioner or to bring their spouse and that person's children (K-3 and
K4 visas, respectively) to the United States to complete processing for permanent
resident status. Generally, to file the petition, the U.S. citizen and fiancé(e) must establish
that they have met in person within the past two years, be legally free to marry, have
filed or are filing a Form I-130, and intend to marry within 90 days of the beneficiary’s
entry.
The Form 1-129F is also used by the Department of State (DOS). The U.S. citizen sponsor
files the Form I-129F with the USCIS office that serves the area where they live and after
USCIS approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center. The National Visa
Center will assign a case number and send the petition to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate
where the fiancé(e) lives. The Embassy or Consulate will interview the fiancé(e) and any
eligible children for the appropriate K visa. The Form I-129F petition is valid for four
months from the date of approval by USCIS. A DOS consular officer can extend the
validity of the petition if it expires before visa processing is completed.

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

No changes are being requested for this revision.
Relevant IT system
Form I-129F is adjudicated in CLAIMS 3 and is stored in the beneficiary’s A-File.
b. List the DHS (or component) authorities to collect, store, and use this information.
If this information will be stored and used by a specific DHS component, list the
component-specific authorities.
The authority to collect, store, and use the information requested on this petition, and
the associated evidence, is set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section
214(d) and 8 CFR 214.2(k). The information is collected in a manner consistent with the
guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

2. Describe the IC/Form
a. Does this form collect any
Personally Identifiable
Information” (PII1)?
b. From which type(s) of
individuals does this form
collect information?
(Check all that apply.)

c. Who will complete and
submit this form? (Check
all that apply.)

☒ Yes
☐ No
☒ Members of the public
☒ U.S. citizens or lawful permanent
residents
☒ Non-U.S. Persons.
☐ DHS Employees
☐ DHS Contractors
☐ Other federal employees or contractors.
☒ The record subject of the form (e.g., the
individual applicant).
☒ Legal Representative (preparer, attorney,
etc.).
☐ Business entity.
If a business entity, is the only
information collected business contact
information?

1

Personally identifiable information means any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including
any other information which is linked or linkable to that individual regardless of whether the individual is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident,
visitor to the U.S., or employee or contractor to the Department.
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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Law enforcement.
☐ DHS employee or contractor.
☒ Other individual/entity/organization that is
NOT the record subject. Please describe.
An interpreter may complete the form on behalf
of the petitioner.
d. How do individuals
complete the form? Check
all that apply.

☒ Paper.
☒ Electronic. (ex: fillable PDF)
☐ Online web form. (available and submitted via
the internet)
Provide link:

e. What information will DHS collect on the form? List all PII data elements on the
form. If the form will collect information from more than one type of individual,
please break down list of data elements collected by type of individual.
There are no new data elements being collected as a result of this 2021 extension. The
list below contains a full inventory of PII collected by type of individual.
Information about the Petitioner:
• A-Number
• USCIS Online Account Number
• Social Security number
• Full name
• Other names used
• Mailing address
• Physical addresses for the last 5 years (U.S. and foreign)
• Employment history (name of employer, mailing address, occupation, start date,
end date)
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• City, state, and country of birth

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Information about parents (parent’s name, date of birth, gender, country of birth,
city and country of residence)
Names of prior spouse(s) and date(s) of prior marriage(s)
Means of acquiring U.S. citizenship
Naturalization or Certificate number, place of issuance, andissuance date
Names, A-Number, and filing dates for any spouse or fiancé(e) for whom a the
petitioner has filed and the result of any filings
Ages of all children under 18 years of age
U.S. State and foreign counties of residence since 18th birthday
Criminal history
Daytime phone number
Mobile phone number
Email
Signature
Ethnicity
Race
Height
Weight
Eye color
Hair color

Information about the Beneficiary:
• Full name
• A-Number
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Marital status
• City and country of birth
• Country of citizenship or nationality
• Other names used
• Mailing address
• Physical addresses for the last 5 years (U.S. and foreign)
• Employment history (name of employer, mailing address, occupation, start date,
end date)

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Information about parents (parent’s name, date of birth, gender, country of birth,
city and country of residence)
Names of prior spouse(s) and date(s) of prior marriage(s)
I-94 Record Number
Prior arrivals/departure dates in U.S.
I-94 or I-95 expiration date
Passport number
Travel document number
Country of issuance for Passport or Travel Document
Passport or Travel Document expiration dates
Information about children (full name, country of birth, date of birth, physical
address)
U.S. address where the beneficiary will live
Physical foreign address
Daytime phone number
Name and address in native alphabet
City or town and country of U.S. Embassy or Consulate

Information about both the Petitioner and Beneficiary:
• Relationship
• The degree of their familial relatedness
• The circumstances of their meeting
• Information about International Marriage Broker (name, organization name,
website, mailing address, daytime phone number)
• Location of the interviewing consulate
Information about the Preparer:
• Full name
• Business name
• Mailing address
• Daytime phone number
• Mobile phone number
• Email
• Signature
• G-28 ID number

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

Information about the Interpreter:
• Full name
• Organization name
• Mailing address
• Daytime phone
• Mobile phone number
• Email
• Certification of fluency
• Signature
f. Does this form collect Social Security number (SSN) or other element that is
stand-alone Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (SPII)? Check all that
apply.
☒ Social Security number
☐ DHS Electronic Data Interchange
Personal Identifier (EDIPI)
☒ Alien Number (A-Number)
☐ Social Media Handle/ID
☐ Tax Identification Number
☐ Known Traveler Number
☐ Visa Number
☐ Trusted Traveler Number (Global
☒ Passport Number
Entry, Pre-Check, etc.)
☐ Bank Account, Credit Card, or other
☐ Driver’s License Number
financial account number
☒ Biometrics
☒ Other. Please list: USCIS Online
Account Number
g. List the specific authority to collect SSN or these other SPII elements.
INA 264(f) (8 U.S.C. 1304(f)) provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with the
specific authority to collect SSNs of those applying for immigration benefits. USCIS
collects the SSN to facilitate and expedite the adjudication of the application. The SSN is
used to establish and corroborate the petitioner’s and beneficiary’s identities.
h. How will this information be used? What is the purpose of the collection?
Describe why this collection of SPII is the minimum amount of information
necessary to accomplish the purpose of the program.
USCIS collects the SSN to facilitate and expedite the adjudication of the petitioner’s
request for a Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). The SSN is requested in order to
expedite the adjudication by verifying true identities of the petitioner and beneficiary,

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

validating the related immigration history, and ensuring security by assisting to
accurately match criminal information to petitioners.
i. Are individuals
☒ Yes. Please describe how notice is provided.
provided notice at the
Individuals completing the form are notified via a
time of collection by
Privacy Notice in the instructions for the Form IDHS (Does the records
129F.
subject have notice of
☐ No.
the collection or is
form filled out by
third party)?

3. How will DHS store the IC/form responses?
a. How will DHS store
☒ Paper. Please describe.
the original,
Approved Forms I-129F are sent to the National
completed IC/forms?
Visa Center, while denied Forms I-129F are sent to
the National Records Center where they are
archived in the applicant’s A-File.
☐ Electronic. Please describe the IT system that will
store the data from the form.
Click here to enter text.
☒ Scanned forms (completed forms are scanned into
an electronic repository). Please describe the
electronic repository.
The form is filed through the Lockbox and is scanned
as part of the intake process. The form is then stored
in CLAIMS 3.
b. If electronic, how
does DHS input the
responses into the IT
system?

☒ Manually (data elements manually entered). Please
describe.
The data elements are entered manually into
CLAIMS 3 by contract staff.
☐ Automatically. Please describe.
Click here to enter text.

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

c. How would a user
search the
information
submitted on the
forms, i.e., how is the
information
retrieved?
d. What is the records
retention
schedule(s)? Include
the records schedule
number.

☒ By a unique identifier.2 Please describe. If
information is retrieved by personal identifier, please
submit a Privacy Act Statement with this PTA.
Information can be retrieved by name, date of
birth, A-Number, Receipt number, or combination
of the above data elements.
☐ By a non-personal identifier. Please describe.
Click here to enter text.
The Form I-129F is maintained in accordance with
USCIS Family Based Adjustment of Status (AOS)
schedule, DAA-0566-2016-0018. Transfer data to the
National Archives 100 years after the individual's
Date of Birth (DOB). Paper records are destroyed 100
years after the individual's date of birth. The
information entered into CLAIMS 3 is deleted after 50
years of the last completed action.
SCOPS personnel review the record holdings annual
to assess when data may be transmitted to National
Archives.

e. How do you ensure
that records are
disposed of or deleted
in accordance with
the retention
schedule?
f. Is any of this information shared outside of the original program/office? If yes,
describe where (other offices or DHS components or external entities) and why.
What are the authorities of the receiving party?
☒ Yes, information is shared with other DHS components or offices. Please describe.
Data from Form I-129F is entered in USCIS systems. When the information is
loaded into CLAIMS 3, it can be accessed by any USCIS office, as well as CBP. Such
access allows USCIS and CBP to verify non-immigrant status in the performance of
their duties.
While the information can be accessed by other DHS components via CLAIMS 3,
the form itself is not routinely shared with other DHS components. It is shared
when a valid “need to know” exists.
2

Generally, a unique identifier is considered any type of “personally identifiable information,” meaning any information that permits the identity
of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including any other information which is linked or linkable to that individual regardless of
whether the individual is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, visitor to the U.S., or employee or contractor to the Department.
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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

☒ Yes, information is shared external to DHS with other federal agencies, state/local
partners, international partners, or non-governmental entities. Please describe.
Information from the I-129F is shared with the DOS. If the I-129F is approved, the
petition is sent to the National Visa Center, who forwards the petition to the
Embassy or Consulate who will conduct the interview for the appropriate K visa.
☐ No. Information on this form is not shared outside of the collecting office.

Please include a copy of the referenced form and Privacy Act Statement (if
applicable) with this PTA upon submission.

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

PRIVACY THRESHOLD REVIEW
(TO BE COMPLETED BY COMPONENT PRIVACY OFFICE)
Component Privacy Office Reviewer:

Anthony Johnson

Date submitted to component Privacy
Office:
Date submitted to DHS Privacy Office:

July 22, 2021

Have you approved a Privacy Act
Statement for this form? (Only
applicable if you have received a
waiver from the DHS Chief Privacy
Officer to approve component Privacy
Act Statements.)

September 29, 2021
☒ Yes. Please include it with this PTA
submission.
☐ No. Please describe why not.
Click here to enter text.

Component Privacy Office Recommendation:
Please include recommendation below, including what existing privacy compliance
documentation is available or new privacy compliance documentation is needed.
USCIS Office of Privacy is submitting this PTA update due to the forthcoming expiration of
the previous PTA and an extension request pertaining to its OMB Control Number and
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements. There are no substantive changes to the
form or the information collection.
The purpose of the Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), is for U.S. citizens wishing to
bring their fiancé(e) (K-1 visa) and that person's children (K-2 visa) to the U.S. for marriage
to the petitioner or to bring their spouse and that person's children (K-3 and K4 visas,
respectively) to the United States to complete processing for permanent resident status.
Generally, to file the petition, the U.S. citizen and fiancé(e) must establish that they have
met in person within the past two years, be legally free to marry, have filed or are filing a
Form I-130, and intend to marry within 90 days of the beneficiary’s entry.
USCIS Office of Privacy recommends designating Form I-129F as a privacy sensitive form
with coverage under the following:
PIA
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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

•

DHS/USCIS/PIA-016(a) Computer Linked Application Information Management
System and Associated Systems, which covers the processing and adjudication of
Form I-129F.

SORNs
• DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National File Tracking System,
which covers the physical and electronic immigration files, including A-Files and
Receipt Files.
• DHS/USCIS-007 Benefits Information System, which covers the collection, use, and
storage of data elements USCIS collects about benefit requestors, beneficiaries, legal
representatives, interpreters, and preparers.
• DHS/USCIS-018 Immigration Biometric and Background Check System of Records,
which covers the collection, use, and maintenance of biometric information.

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

PRIVACY THRESHOLD ADJUDICATION
(TO BE COMPLETED BY THE DHS PRIVACY OFFICE)
DHS Privacy Office Reviewer:

Sean McGuinness

PRIVCATS Workflow Number:
Date approved by DHS Privacy Office:
PTA Expiration Date

0020533
September 29, 2021
September 29, 2024

DESIGNATION
Privacy Sensitive IC or
Form:

Yes If “no” PTA adjudication is complete.

Determination:

☐ PTA sufficient at this time.
☐ Privacy compliance documentation determination in
progress.
☐ New information sharing arrangement is required.
☐ DHS Policy for Computer-Readable Extracts Containing SPII
applies.
☒ Privacy Act Statement required.
☒ Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) required.
☒ System of Records Notice (SORN) required.
☐ Specialized training required.
☐ Other. Click here to enter text.

Privacy Act
Statement:
PTA:
PIA:

SORN:

Choose an item.
A Privacy Act Statement has been submitted and approved with
this PTA.
Choose an item.
Click here to enter text.
System covered by existing PIA
If covered by existing PIA, please list: DHS/USCIS/PIA-016(a)
Computer Linked Application Information Management System
and Associated Systems
If a PIA update is required, please list: Click here to enter text.
System covered by existing SORN

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Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-343-1717, [email protected]
www.dhs.gov/privacy

If covered by existing SORN, please list:
• DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National File
Tracking System of Records, September 18, 2017, 82 FR
43556;
• DHS/USCIS-007 Benefits Information System, October 19,
2016 81 FR 72069; and
• DHS/USCIS-018 Immigration Biometric and Background
Check (IBBC) System of Records, July 31, 2018, 83 FR 36950.
If a SORN update is required, please list: Click here to enter text.
DHS Privacy Office Comments:
Please describe rationale for privacy compliance determination above.
USCIS is submitting this PTA update due to the forthcoming expiration of the
previous PTA and an extension request pertaining to its OMB Control Number and
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements. There are no substantive changes to
the form or the information collection.
The DHS Privacy Office (PRIV) finds that Form I-129F is privacy sensitive as it
collects PII from members of the public.
PRIV agrees with USCIS Privacy that PIA coverage is provided by DHS/USCIS/PIA016(a) Computer Linked Application Information Management System and
Associated Systems, which covers the processing and adjudication of Form I-129F.
PRIV finds that SORN coverage is required as information is retrieved by personal
identifier. PRIV agrees with USCIS Privacy that SORN coverage is provided by
DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, which covers the collection of information for
the purpose of administering benefits through an applicant’s immigration process;
DHS/USCIS-007 BIS, which covers the processing and adjudicative data collected in
CLAIMS 3 that may not be contained in an applicant’s A-File; and DHS/USCIS-018
Immigration Biometric and Background Check, which covers the collection, use, and
maintenance of biometric information.
A Privacy Act Statement has been submitted and approved with this PTA.

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