The United States has announced that visa applicants will be required to submit details of all social media accounts they have used over the past five years.
In a notice issued by the U.S. Mission, the directive applies to those completing the DS-160 form, the standard application for non-immigrant visas. Applicants must provide usernames or handles for every platform they have used during that period.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form,” the mission stated.
What US says about visa application
“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”
The requirement was first introduced in 2019 under the Trump administration as part of broader measures to tighten U.S. visa vetting procedures, and it has remained in place under President Biden. Officials argue that access to applicants’ online activity allows consular officers to verify identity and assess potential security risks.
The measure reflects a wider global trend towards closer examination of digital footprints, as governments increasingly weigh social media presence in immigration and security decisions.
