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White House and State Department officials said Thursday that a new executive order revoking an Obama-era guideline on processing times at consulates was made in the interest of "vetting" and national security. It was not immediately clear how much much longer the process will take for the millions of tourist, student, and business visa seekers who apply to travel to the country every year. The brief order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump a day earlier deletes part of a 2017 order that sought to expedite the processing time for non-immigrant visas, including those needed by students and tourists. The original order issued by then-President Barack Obama called on the State Department to "ensure that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within 3 weeks of receipt of application." The new order comes amid months of efforts by the Trump administration to wield executive powers over certain immigration policies and implement what officials refer to as "extreme vetting." A White House spokesman told VOA the amendment "removes an arbitrary requirement." "The president expects careful, accurate vetting of visa applicants, not a rushed process to accommodate an arbitrary deadline," assistant press secretary Michael Short said Thursday. The administration recently expanded the visa application process to include social media handles used during the last five years, and additional biographical information for the last 15 years - meaning the consular officials can ask for a would-be visitor's Facebook profile, and a list of everywhere they've traveled for more than a decade. | 
