The revised US visa forms, which was first proposed in March 2018, require most visa applicants, including tourists, to furnish their social media usernames, previous email addresses and phone numbers as part of the application process.
Anyone planning to apply for the US visa will have to share his or her internet history. As proposed by the Trump administration, the country now requires most of the US visa applicants to submit their social media details for the past five years, as part of its strategy to improve screening of potential immigrants and visitors.
The revised US visa forms, which was first proposed in March 2018, require most visa applicants, including tourists, to furnish their social media usernames, previous email addresses, and phone numbers as part of the application process. However, some diplomats and officials are likely to be exempted from the requirements.
The US State Department in an official release emphasized that National security is their top priority when adjudicating visa applications, and every prospective traveller and immigrant to the United States needs to undergo extensive security screening. They further added that they are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve the screening processes to protect U.S. citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States.
Acceptable social media platforms which have been included are Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Social media posts will be vetted and could result in additional questioning during visa interviews. This could lead to delays in processing. If the applicant conceals details or furnished inaccurate information, it can be treated as fraud with dire consequences.
Will this affect our social media activity? Let’s wait and watch.
