A new question about social media platform used by the applicants was added on Thursday in the online US Visa application forms.
Those who are looking to apply an online US visa will now have to answer an additional question. A new provision added on Thursday requires US visa applicants to fill in additional details about their social media use.
The new question will have to be answered by applicants for both DS-260 or the Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, as well as DS-160 or the online Non-Immigrant visa application.
Applicants are asked to list the social media platforms that may have used in the past five years.
The description on the form reads: “Select from the list below each social media platform you have used within the last five years. In the space next to the platform’s name, enter the username or handle you have used on that platform. If you have used more than one platform or more than one user name or handle on a single platform click the ‘Add Another’ button to list each one separately. If you have not used any of the listed platforms in the last five years, select ‘None.’
The new introduction is bound to create a little more hassle for visa applicants, as in this age of social media, it is common for people to have multiple social media accounts.
Memphis, Tennessee, -based immigration lawyer and author of several legal books Greg Siskind tweeted about this new development on Friday. He wrote: “New question on online US visa application added yesterday. He also put a screen shot of the new introduction.”
New question on online US visa application added yesterday. pic.twitter.com/NylFjGE9Jq
— Greg Siskind (@gsiskind) May 31, 2019
The move is seen as yet another Trump administration’s continued efforts to tighten immigration.
The proposal for collecting social media identities from everyone who enters the United States was proposed by the federal government last year. The proposal was in line with President Trump’s policy of ensuring extreme vetting to people entering the country. The American Civil Liberties Union expressed concern about the move saying that it will affect nearly 15 million visitors to the US annually.