Last Updated on March 2, 2023
All visa applicants must now submit their social media usernames after a recent U.S. Department of State policy update.
This change, originally proposed in March 2018, requires all applicants to submit the following information:
- Social media usernames
- Previous email address
- Phone numbers
What Do I Need To Know?
According to The Associated Press, this change affects about 15 million foreign nationals who apply for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas every year.
The following screenshot displays what this new process looks like:
Applicants are required to list any social media account names from the previous five years from some of the following services:
- YouTube
- And more
This form also lets individuals voluntarily input social media accounts on platforms not listed. Additionally, applicants will also need to provide five years of previously used email addresses, international travel details, deportation status and telephone numbers.
This is in line with the Department’s aim to strengthen the process for vetting applicants and confirming their identities.
Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Rene Cousins, who is an attorney at Global Immigration Associates, P.C. (www.giafirm.com), Envoy’s affiliated law firm.
