Want to apply for US visa, be ready for social media checks
May 06, 2017 16:37
The Trump administration has proposed a rigorous vetting process for United States visa applicants, including investigating their social media profiles, to keep foreigners with connection to terror activities or other national security-related ineligibilities out of the country.
The state department on Thursday issued a notification publishing some of the questions that it wants to ask from US visa applicants.
The state department in the notice invited comments on the impending set of measures. It said an estimated 65,000 applicants annually, or 0.5 per cent of applicants worldwide, will be impacted.
"Regarding travel history, applicants may be requested to provide details of their international or domestic (within their country of nationality) travel, if it appears to the consular officer that the applicant has been in an area while the area was under the operational control of a terrorist organisation," the notification said.
The applicants who come under the new stepped-up criteria, would be required to provide names and dates of birth of siblings and, for some applicants, children who are new.
They will also have to provide the details of their social media handles and other associated online platforms to the department of state. This is already being collected on a voluntary basis by the department of homeland security in case of certain individuals.
The applicants who come under the extreme vetting criteria will also have to show the details of their past international and domestic travel history if the consular officer finds the applicant stayed in a terrorist occupied
area. If this is the case, applicant will also have to recount or explain the details of their travel, and when possible, provide supporting documentation.
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