Rumors suggest that foreign nationals wishing to travel to the United States will now have to provide their social media account IDs (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.). And yes, this information is confirmed.  

On May 31, the U.S. Department of State announced that it had updated its immigrant and non-immigrant visa application form to “get additional information” from applicants. This measure, announced last year, came into effect on June 1, 2019.

Since the beginning of this month, visa applicants are now required to provide their usernames, phone numbers and e-mail addresses when applying online. This will strengthen the process for screening visa applicants and confirming their identity, according to the US department. It is a good way to better know who’s entering in the US territory, authorities think.

‘National security is our top priority when adjudicating visa applications, and every prospective traveler and immigrant to the United States undergoes extensive security screening. We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect U.S. citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States," the US Department said.

The measure was only required for visa applicants subject to a “more thorough examination,” including persons who have visited areas under terrorist organizations’ control. But it has now extended to the 15 million travelers who apply for a US visa each year.

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