OMB Comment 1. Kyle S. Gardiner EOP/OMB October 20, 2020 Feedback on DS-5528:
Please revise the instruction language in box 34. Currently it reads “Accompanying Minor Children or Incapacitated/Incompetent Adults Only, list below.” We consider this unclear verbiage. We suggest as an alternative, “If you are responsible for any minor children or incapacitated/incompetent adults, please list each one below.”
Please ensure signature and date fields are fillable (see comments below).
Department of State Response to OMB Comment 1:
Form DS-5528 has been updated in box 34 for clarity.
Box 92/93, Signature and date fields are fillable.
The following are all the changes made to the DS 5528 to address OIRA comments and updated with language suggested by our Legal team:
Section 34 of Form DS-5528 was revised for clarity. The instruction in 34 previously read “Accompanying Minor Children or Incapacitated/Incompetent Adults Only, list below. Check here if none. The DS-5528 was revised to read “If including minor children or incapacitated/incompetent adults, please list below. Check here if none.”
On the form at Part 3-Consular Notes- For Official Use Only to be Completed by U.S. Consular Officer (Insert number of individuals for each category):
The word “loan recipient” was removed from all the options.
“Legal permanent resident” was deleted.
Section 92, the signature block, was updated to provide “Electronic signature (retyping your name in this box using an electronic method) is as acceptable as signing with ink or typed.”
Section 94 of the form was updated to provide new language regarding consent to release information under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended.
The Privacy Act Statement was updated for clarify.
OMB Comment 2. Kyle S. Gardiner EOP/OMB October 20, 2020
Can State please explain the interaction between this form, the DS-5528, and the DS-3072 (REPATRIATION/EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND DIETARY ASSISTANCE LOAN APPLICATION). Are there situations where an applicant has to complete both forms? What is the distinction between repatriation and evacuation? Or are they used for mutually exclusive scenarios?
Department of State Response to OMB Comment 2:
The Department of State has updated the language in the supporting statement to clarify the relationship between the DS-5528 and DS-3072.
The DS-3072 is used for Repatriation and Emergency Medical and Dietary Assistance (EMDA) loans. Repatriation loans may be issued to destitute U.S. citizens to provide for their return to the United States. The Department may issue EMDA loans to cover emergency medical attention and dietary supplements, and other emergency assistance for U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad or destitute U.S. citizens abroad who are unable to obtain such services otherwise.
The
DS-5528 is used to:
document the travel of eligible persons who avail themselves of U.S.
government coordinated transport out of a crisis location; document
issuance of a crisis evacuation loan to private U.S. citizens and
third country nationals;
facilitate debt collection; notify that information may be released
consistent with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974; and obtain
consent to facilitate sharing information of a U.S. citizen or lawful
permanent resident (LPR)
with
designated persons.
Upon arrival to a safe haven, an eligible U.S. citizen may apply for a repatriation loan for return to the United States or an EMDA loan, if available.
OMB Comment 3. Kyle S. Gardiner EOP/OMB October 19, 2020
In most contexts, OIRA is deferential to CA as it works toward determining appropriate electronic signature modalities for many of its collections. However, those are largely tied to passport/visa forms. For the DS-5528 however (and also for the DS-3072), there is no justifiable reason for not accepting an electronic signature on the signature field (this can be a typed signature, signed via a mouse tracing, etc.), as electronic signatures are legally equivalent to wet signatures. Allowing respondents to type their name onto the signature field and then email the form to post, for instance, is an equally valid means of signature to a hand-delivered wet-signed document.
Please ensure that the final version of this PDF has a fillable field in the signature/date line, and that the instructions do not imply that the form needs to be printed/wet-signed. To the extent that posts already transmit and receive this form via email, respondents should be encouraged to electronically sign as an alternative to printing and signing.
Finally, please ensure this section is modified to reflect these changes.
Department of State Response to OMB Comment 3:
For the DS-5528 and DS-3072, the Department of State has added a “click and sign” alternative to accept an electronic signature on the signature field as a typed signature.
OMB Comment 4. Kyle S. Gardiner EOP/OMB October 19, 2020
Please see the top comment on wet signature requirements.
Department of State Response to OMB Comment 4
For the DS-5528 and DS-3072, the Department of State has added a “click and sign” alternative to accept an electronic signature on the signature field as a typed signature.
OMB Comment 5. Kyle S. Gardiner EOP/OMB October 19, 2020
During COVID evacuations, many posts used MS Forms as a part of the evacuation procedures. If State intends for MS Forms to be a means of completing the DS-5528 in the future (which we support, all else being equal) it should be an instrument added to this information collection (e.g. a set of screenshots of what the MS form looks like).
Department of State Response to OMB Comment 5
CA has not decided whether it will use MS Forms again. The Department remains technology neutral on the means to complete the DS-5528 in the future and therefore does not have screen shots of what the MS form looks like.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Gaw, Monica A |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-07-22 |