--- title: "Comments on “Extreme Vetting” Measures for Visas Due This Week" id: "38127" type: "post" slug: "comments-on-extreme-vetting-measures-for-visas-due-this-week" published_at: "2017-05-15T20:44:53+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:19:23+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/05/15/comments-on-extreme-vetting-measures-for-visas-due-this-week/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/05/15/comments-on-extreme-vetting-measures-for-visas-due-this-week.md" excerpt: "The State Department is considering stricter measures for vetting a subset of individuals for U.S. visas, which ASAE warns could threaten business travel to the United States. Public comments are due by Thursday." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "comments" - "Travel Security" - "visa policy" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Comments on “Extreme Vetting” Measures for Visas Due This Week The State Department is considering a more aggressive vetting process for some U.S. visa applicants and is accepting public comments on the proposal until Thursday, May 18. Under the proposed “extreme vetting” process, some visa applicants would be required to provide their email addresses and social media information; family information; and 15 years of employment, travel, and other history, [according to the Federal Register notice (opens in a new tab)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/05/04/2017-08975/notice-of-information-collection-under-omb-emergency-review-supplemental-questions-for-visa) . “Consular officers will not request user passwords and will not attempt to subvert any privacy controls the applicants may have implemented on social media platforms,” according to the notice. The new requirements—which the State Department estimates would affect about 65,000 people per year, or about one-half of 1 percent of visa applicants—are related to President Trump’s travel ban, issued in January and updated in March, [according to a Reuters report (opens in a new tab)](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-visa-idUSKBN18020A) . While federal courts blocked parts of the order, an accompanying memorandum that requested a review of vetting procedures was not affected. [ASAE has expressed concern about the travel ban’s impact](http://associationsnow.com/2017/03/travel-meetings-industry-groups-still-raise-concerns-revised-travel-ban/) on perceptions of the U.S. as a welcoming travel destination and, in an email to members last week, raised similar reservations about more stringent vetting of visa applicants. “ASAE is strongly supportive of appropriate screening procedures but is concerned that the changes proposed by the administration are excessive and could discourage business travel and tourism to the U.S.,” the message stated. ASAE said the wording of the Federal Register notice “is sufficiently vague to raise concern about who would be subject to the additional scrutiny.” The notice includes instructions for [submitting public comments on the proposal (opens in a new tab)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/05/04/2017-08975/notice-of-information-collection-under-omb-emergency-review-supplemental-questions-for-visa) through Thursday. [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#comments](https://associationsnow.com/tag/comments/) [#Travel Security](https://associationsnow.com/tag/travel-security/) [#visa policy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/visa-policy/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [VideoNCRA: Safeguarding Cancer Surveillance: An Advocacy Response to FY26 Budget ThreatsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/ncra-safeguarding-cancer-surveillance-an-advocacy-response-to-fy26-budget-threats/) - [VideoASAE Legislative Summit 2026March 26, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/03/26/asae-legislative-summit-2026/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F05%2F15%2Fcomments-on-extreme-vetting-measures-for-visas-due-this-week%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !