US Visa Applicants Must Share Social Media Handles for Security

New Delhi, June 26 (PTI): The United States has mandated visa applicants to disclose their social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used over the past five years, considering each visa adjudication as a "national security decision".

The US Embassy in India highlighted this requirement in a statement released Thursday, warning that omitting such social media information could result in visa denial and ineligibility for future applications.

In a message posted on X, the US Embassy stated, "Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit."

The notice continued to emphasize that "omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas."

On June 23, the US Embassy recommended those applying for F, M, or J non-immigrant visas to change their social media account privacy settings to "public" to facilitate vetting, deemed necessary to verify their identity and admissibility under US law.

Since 2019, US visa applicants have been required to submit "social media identifiers" on both immigrant and non-immigrant visa forms. The F or M categories pertain to student visas, while the J category refers to exchange visitor visas.

The embassy also shared two related digital posters accompanying Thursday's communication. A poster caption asserted, "Every U.S. visa adjudication is a national security decision," and noted that the US demands social media identifiers on visa applications, using all available information for screening and vetting.

This directive comes against the backdrop of recent immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration in Los Angeles, California.

On June 24, the embassy reiterated that the US has intensified immigration law enforcement, warning violators of potential detention, deportation, and permanent consequences affecting future visa eligibility.

The US further cautioned that illegal entrants would face jail time and deportation.

This month, the US Embassy in India has issued multiple statements addressing visa and immigration issues.

On June 19, it emphasized that a US visa is "a privilege, not a right," and underscored that screening continues even after a visa is issued, with the potential for revocation if laws are breached.

The embassy warned that illegal drug use or breaking US laws while on a student or visitor visa could render one ineligible for future visas.

Additionally, the US Embassy has made it clear that while legal travelers to America are welcome, the country will not tolerate illegal entry or visa abuse.

On June 16, the US Embassy stated that the US "will not tolerate" those who facilitate illegal and mass immigration, announcing "new visa restrictions" targeting foreign government officials and violators.

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