U.S. gov’t now requires social media check for visa applicants

The U.S. government is implementing new requirements for visa applicants, which now includes background checks on your social media accounts.

In a report by Reuters, the Trump administration has approved tougher visa vetting for applicants worldwide which allows consular officials to request passport and travel history, address and contact information for the last 15 years, and email addresses and social media handles for the last 5 years.

The new visa questionnaire has a section for Social Media where applicants need to write their unique username for any websites or applications he/she have used to create or share content (photos, videos, status updates, etc.) as part of a public profile within the last five years.

Reuters reported that officials will request for the additional information when they determine “that such information is required to confirm identity or conduct more rigorous national security vetting.” The State Department also said that the tighter vetting would apply to visa applicants “who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities.”

source: Reuters