Proposed Information Collection Activity; U.S. Repatriation Forms

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the U.S. Repatriation Program forms (OMB #0970-0474, expiration 1/31/2027). There are several changes requested to the thirteen forms. Burden estimates have also been updated.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 190 (Friday, October 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 190 (Friday, October 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62735-62737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20265]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[Office of Management and Budget #:0970-0474]


Proposed Information Collection Activity; U.S. Repatriation Forms

AGENCY: Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response, 
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is 
requesting a 3-year extension of the U.S. Repatriation Program forms 
(OMB #0970-0474, expiration 1/31/2027). There are several changes 
requested to the thirteen forms. Burden estimates have also been 
updated.

DATES: Comments due December 1, 2026.

ADDRESSES: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific 
aspects of the information collection described above. You can obtain 
copies of the proposed collection of information and submit comments by 
emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d04030b020e020101080e190402032d0c0e0b4305051e430a021b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0f666169606c6063636a6c7b6660614f6e6c692167677c21686079">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Identify all requests by the title 
of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Description: The purpose of the U.S. 
Repatriation Program (Program) is to provide temporary assistance to 
eligible U.S. citizens and their dependents (repatriates) returned by 
the Department of State from a foreign country because of destitution, 
illness, war, threat of war, or a similar crisis, and who are without 
available resources, or (2) mental illness. Temporary assistance is 
provided upon their arrival in the United States and is available 
initially for up to 90 days from a repatriate's date of arrival in the 
United States. Temporary assistance is provided in the form of a 
service loan and is repayable to the U.S. Government.
    Temporary assistance is defined in 42 U.S.C. 1313(c) as money 
payments, medical care, temporary lodging, transportation, and other 
goods and services necessary for the health or welfare of individuals, 
including guidance, counseling, and other welfare services provided to 
them within the United States upon their arrival in the United States. 
Other goods and services may include clothes, food, assistance with 
obtaining identification (driver's license, birth certificate), child 
care, and translation services.
    The ACF Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and 
Response (OHSEPR), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS), administers the Program.
    OHSEPR made changes to all thirteen forms to ensure the information 
collected aligns with Program statutes and regulations as well as the 
purpose and use of the form. Revisions include clarifying statutory 
authority and aligning data collection with policy. Forms were also 
simplified. These changes reduced the burden hours.
    The following is a description of the proposed revisions:

Emergency Repatriation Eligibility Application (Form RR-01)

    The purpose of this form is for U.S. citizens and their dependents 
to request temporary assistance during an emergency repatriation 
incident. To reduce the burden of reviewing numerous forms to receive 
assistance, proposed revisions include the following:

<bullet> Adding information about privacy and loan repayment

Emergency Repatriation Reimbursement Request (Form RR-02)

    The purpose of this form is for states to request reimbursement for 
emergency repatriation expenditures. Proposed revisions include the 
following to align with deregulatory priorities:

<bullet> Changing reference 45 CFR part 75 to 2 CFR part 200
<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212

Loan Waiver and Deferral Application (Form RR-03)

    The purpose of this form is for repatriates to request a waiver or 
deferral of their loan for temporary assistance received through the 
U.S. Repatriation Program. Proposed

[[Page 62736]]

revisions include the following to align with deregulation changes:

<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212

Routine Repatriation Reimbursement Request (Form RR-04)

    The purpose of this form is for state and local service providers 
to submit reimbursement requests for providing temporary assistance to 
repatriates under the U.S. Repatriation Program. Proposed revisions 
include the following to align with deregulatory priorities and 
decrease fraud, waste, and abuse:

<bullet> Changing reference 45 CFR part 75 to 2 CFR part 200
<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212
<bullet> Adding information on supporting documentation for 
administrative costs
<bullet> Updating information on where to submit form

Repatriation Repayment and Privacy Agreement (Form RR-05)

    The purpose of this form is for repatriates to agree to accept 
temporary assistance under the U.S. Repatriation Program, to agree to 
repay HHS for temporary assistance, and to allow HHS to share personal 
information for benefits purposes. Proposed revisions include the 
following to align with deregulatory priorities and ACF priorities:

<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212
<bullet> Adding information about automatic waivers for wrongful 
detainees and kin taking custody of unaccompanied minors

Refusal of Temporary Assistance (Form RR-06)

    The purpose of this form is for repatriates to refuse to accept 
temporary assistance under the U.S. Repatriation Program after 
receiving information about the Program. Proposed revisions include 
adding the following to align with deregulation:

<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212

Temporary Assistance Extension Request (Form RR-07)

    The purpose of this form is for repatriates to request an extension 
of temporary assistance beyond the initial 90-day eligibility period. 
Proposed revisions include the following to align with deregulatory 
priorities:

<bullet> Removing references to 45 CFR part 211 and 45 CFR part 212
<bullet> Removing collection of dependent information
<bullet> Removing questions on lawsuits, assets, fixed monthly 
expenses, and loans and liabilities

Needs Assessment Form (Form RR-09)

    The purpose of this form is for repatriation case workers to 
collect information on the needs of repatriates. This is a new form. 
Information collected includes repatriation program case information, 
repatriate arrival information, repatriate background information, 
dependent information, contact information, engagement information, 
valid identification information, information on need for medical care 
and accessibility and functional assistance, information on need for 
temporary lodging, information on need for local transportation, 
information on need for cash assistance, information on need for food 
assistance, information on need for translation assistance, information 
on need for legal aid, information on need for vocational training 
assistance, information on need for childcare assistance, information 
on need for other assistance.

State Contact List

    The purpose is to ensure current and accurate points-of-contact 
within states and territories for the U.S. Repatriation Program routine 
and emergency operations.
    Proposed revisions include the following to reduce burden to the 
states:
<bullet> Separately asking for the names of contacts by role and the 
state departments and agencies involved in repatriation

Repatriation Training and Technical Assistance Request

    States, territories, counties, and local service providers may use 
this form to request training and technical assistance on the U.S. 
Repatriation Program via a web portal account. Proposed revisions 
include the following to reduce burden on the states:

<bullet> Combining categories for ``Emergency Repatriation--Financial 
Reimbursement'' and ``Routine Repatriation--Financial Reimbursement''
<bullet> Combining categories for ``Emergency Repatriation--
Unaccompanied Minors'' and ``Routine Repatriation--Unaccompanied 
Minors''
<bullet> Adding question on delivery preference

Post-Training Survey

    The purpose of this survey is to receive feedback on trainings to 
improve the support for and customer experience of states, territories, 
and local service providers supporting the U.S. Repatriation Program. 
Proposed revisions include the following to reduce burden for 
respondents and focus on program improvement:

<bullet> Removing questions on number of years in position
<bullet> Changing training evaluation from questions to statements
<bullet> Changing reference to ``your position'' to ``your role'' in 
regards to relevance of training
<bullet> Changing question on training engagement from ``interactive 
and engaging'' to ``engaging and supported my learning''
<bullet> Changing question on material from ``easy to understand'' to 
``clear and easy to understand''
<bullet> Changing question asking respondent to rate the quality of the 
multimedia to asking respondent whether the multimedia ``supported my 
learning''
<bullet> Removing question on training meeting expectations
<bullet> Removing question on asking respondent to rate the quality of 
the training session
<bullet> Removing question on how multimedia could be improved
<bullet> Adding question on how prepared respondent feels to apply what 
they have learned

Emergency Repatriation Cooperative Agreement Reporting Template

    The purpose of this reporting template is for states to report 
whether they conducted any emergency repatriation operations over the 
reporting period, and if so, to report on emergency repatriation center 
operations, immediate support services and resources offered, 
coordination and information sharing, demobilization, and lessons 
learned. This is a new form.
    Respondents: States, territories, local social service providers, 
administrative staff, repatriates, and authorized representatives of 
repatriates.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

[[Page 62737]]



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                                                                   Total number
                                                   Total number    of responses       Average      Annual burden
                   Instrument                           of              per        burden hours        hours
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response
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Emergency Repatriation Eligibility Application..             250               1             0.5             125
Emergency Repatriation Reimbursement Request....              10               1             0.3               3
Loan Waiver and Deferral Application............              25               1             0.5            12.5
Routine Repatriation Reimbursement Request......              55               2             0.3              33
Repatriation Repayment and Privacy Agreement....             800               1            0.17             136
Refusal of Temporary Assistance.................              50               1            0.05             2.5
Temporary Assistance Extension Request..........             125               1             0.3            37.5
Emergency Repatriation Request for Cost Approval               5              10             0.3              15
 and Federal Support............................
Repatriation State Contact List.................              55               1            0.17            9.35
Repatriation Training and Technical Assistance                55               1            0.25           13.75
 Request Form...................................
Repatriation Post-Training Survey...............              55               2            0.17            18.7
Needs Assessment................................             800               1            0.75             600
Emergency Repatriation Cooperative Agreement                  13               1             0.4             5.2
 Reporting Template.............................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:........         1,011.5
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    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1313, 24 U.S.C. 321-329.

Samantha L. Illangasekare,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-20265 Filed 10-1-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-PL-P


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