1615-AC20 201910 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 1615 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS 1600 Department of Homeland Security DHS Electronic Processing of Immigration Benefit Requests

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will propose to: (1) Set requirements for mandatory-online submission for immigration benefit requests and explain the requirements associated with electronic processing; and (2) make changes to existing regulations to allow end-to-end digital processing.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Proposed Rule Stage Undetermined Undetermined Other 8 CFR 1.2 8 CFR 103 8 CFR 107 8 CFR 204 8 CFR 299 6 U.S.C. 112 8 U.S.C. 1103 44 U.S.C. 3504 Yes

To address the inefficiency of relying on paper, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is transitioning to a digital environment for processing immigration benefit requests. Agency experience demonstrates that the electronic processing of benefit requests is more efficient and effective than the traditional paper processes, during the immediate request, throughout the immigration life cycle, and beyond. Electronic processing will largely eliminate the enormous cost of paper intake, shipping and storage, strengthen information security, and reduce redundancy and the potential for error in adjudication processes. For requestors, electronic processing will improve the experience of applying for immigration benefits at each stage of the process.

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Authority for this proposed regulatory amendment can be found in the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296, section 102, 116 Stat. 2135, 6 U.S.C. 112, and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 103, 8 U.S.C. 1103, which give the Secretary the authority to administer and enforce the immigration and nationality laws, as well as the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), Public Law 105-277, tit. XVII, section 1703, 112 Stat. 2681, 2681-749, 44 U.S.C. 3504, which provides that, when practicable, federal agencies use electronic forms, electronic filing, and electronic submissions to conduct agency business with the public.

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DHS is currently considering the specific cost and benefit impacts of the proposed provisions. In general, DHS anticipates that by mandating online submission for all immigration benefit requests and making changes to existing regulations to allow end-to-end digital processing, the public will incur costs associated with transitioning current practices to an electronic process. DHS anticipates there will be benefits and cost savings associated with mandating online submission for all immigration benefit requests and end-to-end digital processing.

]]> ]]> NPRM 12/00/2019 Yes Businesses Governmental Jurisdictions Organizations None No No Yes No Michael Mayhew Chief of Staff, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate 1615 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS 202 721-3000 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Suite 4S190, Camp Springs MD 20588-0009