View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1615-0157	ICR Reference No: 202409-1615-006
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202403-1615-002
Agency/Subagency: DHS/USCIS	Agency Tracking No: I-134A
Title: Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 09/20/2024
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 09/20/2024
	Date Received in OIRA: 09/20/2024
Terms of Clearance: Emergency approval of this revision is granted through the end of February 2025. Within 45 days of this approval, the agency shall take steps to initiate 3-year approval of these revisions under normal PRA clearance procedures at 5 CFR 1320.10, by issuing a 60-day Federal Register notice that seeks comment and complies with the requirements at 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv).

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	02/28/2025	6 Months From Approved	09/30/2027
Responses	2,661,600	0	1,205,600
Time Burden (Hours)	5,078,320	0	2,543,816
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: DHS uses Form I-134A to determine whether a U.S.-based individual has sufficient financial resources and access to those funds to support the beneficiary for the duration of their temporary stay in the United States. Form I-134A is used by a U.S. based individual (the supporter) to request to be considered as a supporter and to agree to provide financial support to the beneficiary named on the form during the beneficiary’s period of stay in the United States. Form I-134A is filed online and is only available for use by specific parole processes. This information collection supports the action being taken by the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the ability for certain U.S.-based individuals to request to be considered to be a supporter of a beneficiary seeking to be paroled into the United States. Biographic information about the beneficiary provided on Form I-134A will be used for biographic security screening and advance travel authorization from DHS (OMB Control Number 1651-0143) for eligible nationals. Prior to the transmission of this biographic information from USCIS to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for this purpose, the beneficiary will be requested to confirm electronically the accuracy of the biographic information provided on their behalf by the respondent.

Emergency Justfication: In this emergency request, USCIS is amending the Form I-134A for potential supporters and co-supporters under the U4U process and the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to include (1) a requirement to submit biometrics, if necessary, (2) notice of the $30.00 biometric services fee, (3) notice of a requirement for potential co-supporters to complete a Form I-134A, and (4) notice of a requirement for potential supporters to submit a copy of a government-issued photo identity document for themselves and a copy of the beneficiary’s passport biographic data page. USCIS has also made updates to identification elements for organizations by requesting information about the organization’s name, phone number, email address, taxpayer identification number, finances, and confirmation of the organization’s support of the beneficiary. SCIS has monitored trends and will now require submission of biometrics, if necessary, and payment of the biometric services fee from potential supporters, which will be used for additional vetting of potential supporters to provide greater safeguards for beneficiaries. Emergency processing is justified under 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(2)(i) to minimize a possible surge of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans at the southwest land border and ensure adequate support of U4U beneficiaries.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 8 USC 1182(d)(5) Name of Law: United States Code

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Biometric Service Appointment
Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support	I-134A

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	2,661,600	1,205,600	1,456,000
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	5,078,320	2,543,816	2,534,504
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The increase in the total estimated annual time burden is a result of programmatic change expanding the requirements for potential supporters. There is no change to the total estimated annual cost burden to respondents.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $127,443,240

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Melanie Frank 202 527-4488 melanie.r.frank2@uscis.dhs.gov

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion