Trump Administration Approves Tougher Visa Vetting, Including Social Media Checks (reuters.com)

The Trump administration has rolled out a new questionnaire for U.S. visa applicants worldwide that asks for social media handles for the last five years and biographical information going back 15 years. From a report: The new questions, part of an effort to tighten vetting of would-be visitors to the United States, was approved on May 23 by the Office of Management and Budget despite criticism from a range of education officials and academic groups during a public comment period. Critics argued that the new questions would be overly burdensome, lead to long delays in processing and discourage international students and scientists from coming to the United States. Under the new procedures, consular officials can request all prior passport numbers, five years' worth of social media handles, email addresses and phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information including addresses, employment and travel history.

Comments

Maybe the'll make the vetting retoractive

[JoeyRox]

Like they did their ethics waviers:
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/336038-white-house-may-have-broke-ethics-rule-with-retroactive-waiver-report

Sub-divisions in Europe

[QuietLagoon]

I worked for a company that had a few sub-divisions in Europe. Knowing the managers and Engineers there as I do, I'd suspect that they would not abide by such a request if they were to travel to HQ here in the US on a business trip.

So now the proper functioning of my company is jeopardized?

Re:Easily Thwarted

[sit1963nz]

JFK has over 30 million passengers through each year.

That means 82,191 passengers need vetting each day.
Assuming they each take one hour (e.g. each person can do 8 per day) and you have 3 8 hour shifts, you would need 3,424 people just to handle the traffic at JFK.

And we dont even account for holidays,sick days, etc, etc. Then there will be the supervisors, computer support, Managers, payroll, etc etc etc so lets take that to 4,000 people.

Now, Where is the money to pay them coming from ?

Make them pay you say, OK fine, that will mean competing airports in Canada and Mexico will see a rise in passenger numbers because costs are lower and thats on top of all those people who are choosing to avoid the USA anyway now. This will see thousands of people jobless in the Tourism industry, tens of BILLIONS in lost overseas revenue.

How do I know this, because I am one of a growing number who are choosing to avoid the US.

So go ahead break your country. There is absolutely no law that says the US can not become a failure.

Down the list

[AHuxley]

"request all prior passport numbers"
That is great for people who have laundered their past by getting some new state to become their only "travel" document after a few years of entry and telling a good story.
A new passport granted by some easy third party nation will not be able to cover for past issues on another travel document.

"five years' worth of social media handles"
That will allow for a deeper understanding of a persons politics, who they fund, support, like and who their friends are.
Lots of images in a nation few people can get into? Why is that person in that nation over the years?
Posing under a banned groups banner, flag? A photo with a banned group?
No bringing a banned groups supporters into the USA.
"biographical information including addresses, employment and travel history"
That shows a person has a job, can support themselves while they are in the USA, what study they did. What they present is a real not a fictional story to get travel paperwork from their own nation or created to be given new paperwork from a third nation.

Lie to the USA and no visa application. Why should a person of interest be able to lie, omit, hide support for groups of interest or friends who support groups of interest to the USA?
Real people with any education, a normal work history and a normal life should have no issues with any of the questions.

Tuck Frump

[Artem S. Tashkinov]

So when's the impeachment of the POTUS coming? I don't think anyone in their right mind in the US appreciates the fact that Trump has been actively sabotaging the US economy ever since his inauguration.

holy crap

[l3v1]

"Have you travelled to any country (otherthan your country of residence) in the last 15 years? Ifyes, provide details for each trip, including locations visited, date visited, source of funds, and length of stay."

Now, I do realize there are lots of people on this planet that do not travel much, some never even leave their country. My question is, realistically speaking, who in the US govt. thinks many of such people will apply for a US visa? Since even when talking about regular people, 15 years is a long time during which very very many travels can be done. And then there are some people, who the US probably wants - or should want - like scientists, researchers, engineers, etc. some or most of which might travel dozens (or even more) times PER YEAR. Now, just for a moment think about gathering information for 100+ travels for a visa application... Geez, I mean: GEEZ! :)

"Have you ever held a passport other than the passport listed in your visa application? If yes, provide the following information"

Well, I don't know how many passports people usually have during their life. Up to now, I have had a total of 3, from 2 separate countries (they do expire you know). Personally, I don't know the details of one from those three (I don't have it anymore, not even a copy) and it would be practically impossible to find out that data. Thankfully I don't need a US visa - well, not yet... this administration can seemingly have some fun with regulations :)

Another favorite :) 15 years worth of employment history? :) Really :) Nice. I'd like to see a 30-40 years old senior tech worker fill out such an application :)