The US Department of State approved and implemented new visa application forms on May 31, 2019 that require nearly all applicants for US visas to submit their social media usernames used in the last five years for screening. What does this change involve? Under this, an applicant of almost all types of visas, except certain diplomatic and official visa types, will have to share their social media information. MediaNama verified this on the DoS’s Consular Electronic Application Center where all visa applications, including the most popular DS-160 (for a non-immigrant visa), are submitted. Under the ‘Contact’ section, applicants are expected to share their social media information. [caption id="attachment_200615" align="alignnone" width="1239"] Source: US Department of State - CEAC[/caption] Once you choose a social media platform, you are expected to provide the username: [caption id="attachment_200616" align="alignnone" width="1718"] Source: US Department of State - CEAC[/caption] Any accounts that were used by multiple people in an organisation are not required. If the applicant does not fill out this section with either the details of social media profiles, or chooses the ‘None’ option, the form does not let you proceed. Multiple news reports have said that email addresses and phone numbers used over the last five years are also required. However, when we at MediaNama examined the application process, we came across no such requirement. Why was it implemented? The New York Times reported that the Department of State said in a statement, ‘We already request certain contact information, travel history, family member information, and…
