US Visa Applicants Must Now Disclose All Social Media Handles From Past 5 Years

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-06-26 16:01:13 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-26 14:32:49

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Are you planning to study in the US?

Be prepared to disclose all of your social media accounts - and be judged according to the information they contain.

In an unprecedented move, the US Embassy announced that applicants for visas to the United States will now be required to disclose all social media handles they have used in the last five years. This rule, which appears to impact both tourist and student visas, will reportedly allow consular officers to fully assess an applicant's social media history and potential public postings.

Previously, applicants were only required to provide a limited number of social media identifiers relevant to their application. Now, officers have been given broader discretion to ask for social media handles of an applicant's choosing.

The US Embassy insists that this measure is meant to strengthen the process of evaluating applicants' eligibility in the interests of national security. It is hoped that this new policy will help mitigate the risks associated with visa misuse - a concern that has seen growing prominence in the past decade.

However, the new rules also raise significant concerns around free expression and the potential for discrimination and unfair vetting practices. Critics are worried that this broad mandate will lead to inconsistencies and errors in decision-making, impacting individuals based on their political or religious beliefs as expressed or promoted on social media.

Despite these concerns, the US Embassy maintains that applicants will not be automatically rejected for refusing to disclose their social media history, although omitting this information may result in the rejection of visas or penalties such as ineligibility for future visas.

Time will tell whether this new rule becomes a valuable tool in safeguarding national security or a cause for concern for those looking to the US for opportunities.

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