The State Department has issued a new rule when it comes to those wishing to apply for a Visa in order to gain access to the United States
The State Department has issued a new rule for those wishing to apply for a Visa to gain access to the United States. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The State Department has issued a new rule for those wishing to apply for a Visa to gain access to the United States. According to the new rule, all applicants must make their social media profiles public and undergo an additional screening process.
“Effective immediately, all nonimmigrant visa applicants seeking to study in the United State—whether for an academic study program (F visa) or a non-academic training program (M visa), as well as nonimmigrant visa applicants seeking to participate in a U.S. government-approved academic, scientific, or cultural exchange program (J visa)—should change the privacy settings on their social media accounts to public,” a statement read. “This is to facilitate the verification procedures necessary to confirm identity and assess admissibility to the United States under U.S. law.”
“Since 2019, the United States has required applicants—both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas—to provide information on their visa forms that will identify them on social media,” they added. “Specifically, applicants must provide usernames (so-called handles) from all social media platforms used in the past five years on the DS-160 form.”
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According to the new rule, all applicants must make their social media profiles public and undergo an additional screening process. (Image: Getty Images)
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the statement added. “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”
The new guidelines come days after it was announced last week that the Trump administration had requested that students applying for a student visa needed to share their social media profiles with the U.S. government. According to a cable issued by the State Department on Wednesday, consular officers are directed to review applicants’ online presence for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.”
The new guidelines come days after it was announced last week that the Trump administration had requested that students applying for a student visa needed to share their social media profiles with the U.S. government(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“The Trump Administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” a spokesperson for the State Department told The Mirror US. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.”
“Obtaining a visa is a privilege, not a right,” the spokesperson said. “Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes interagency security vetting.”
According to a cable issued by the State Department on Wednesday, consular officers are directed to review applicants’ online presence for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.”(Image: Getty Images)
“Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who might pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety is key to protecting U.S. citizens at home,” the agency added. It was reported that embassies are to flag any “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security” as well as “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.”
It was reported that any ties to Hamas were specifically mentioned. The directive by Donald Trump’s administration is allegedly the latest in several efforts to punish American colleges and universities for their handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Trump’s directive is also an attempt to root out what it alleges to be rampant antisemitism and liberalism at elite institutions.
It was reported that any ties to Hamas were specifically mentioned(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The memo states that the screening will be used on both new and returning applicants. Consular officers must take “detailed case notes” about their review of applicants’ online presences and “take screenshots to preserve the record against possible later alteration or loss of the information.”
Politico reported that the State Department defined “online presence” as more than social media activity and would include information, including LexisNexis. It should be noted that the consular should find anything, it would not immediately terminate the person’s eligibility for a visa, but the cable stated that the discovery could trigger an additional review so consular officers can determine whether an applicant will respect U.S. laws and “engage only in activities consistent with his nonimmigrant visa status.”
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