[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 46 (Friday, March 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12497-12498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4526]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 6122]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Department of 
State Form DS-1504; Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise; OMB 
Control Number 1405-0104

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of 
proposed collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
     Title of Information Collection: Request for Customs 
Clearance of Merchandise.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0104.
     Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: DS/OFM/VTC/TC.
     Form Number: DS-1504.
     Respondents: Eligible foreign diplomatic or consular 
missions, certain foreign government organizations, and designated 
international organizations.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 350.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 7800.
     Average Hours per Response: 30 minutes.
     Total Estimated Burden: 3900 hours.
     Frequency: On Occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a 
Benefit.

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
up to 30 days from March 7, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments and questions to Katherine Astrich, the 
Department of State Desk Officer in the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who 
may be reached at 202-395-4718. You may submit comments by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the DS form 
number, information collection title, and OMB control number in the 
subject line of your message.

[[Page 12498]]

     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
     Fax: 202-395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed information collection and 
supporting documents, to Ms. Irina Kolb, DS/OFM/TC, 3507 International 
Place, NW., U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 2008, who may be 
reached on 202-895-3683, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are soliciting public comments to permit 
the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper performance of our functions.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
technology.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    Exemption from customs duties is a privilege enjoyed by foreign 
diplomatic and consular personnel on assignment in the United States 
under the provision of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and 
Consular Relations and the terms of various bilateral agreements. Under 
the Foreign Missions Act of 1982 (as amended), 22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq., 
the Department of State's Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) is given the 
authority to grant privileges and benefits, based on reciprocity. Form 
DS-1504 ``Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise'' provides OFM 
with the necessary information to provide and administer the benefit 
effectively and efficiently.

Methodology

    Paper copies of the Form DS-1504 are either hand carried or mailed 
to OFM. Foreign Missions can access this from on the OFM website in 
Portable Document Format (PDF), which provides a data-input and print 
feature for clean and legible paper copies. An electronic submission 
option is expected to be made available to respondents in 2008.

    Dated: February 21, 2008.
Claude J. Nebel,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Deputy Director, Office of 
Foreign Missions, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-4526 Filed 3-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-43-P