Dubai – Masaader News
Applicants for visa to USA will now be required to reveal their social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as part of new security checks introduced by the US Department of State, according to Gulf News.
The US embassy in Abu Dhabi on Sunday confirmed the new requirements for immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications, passing on a statement from the US Department of State with details on the new process.
“We already request certain contact information, travel history, family member information and previous addresses from all visa applicants. Collecting this additional information from visa applicants will strengthen our process for vetting these applicants and confirming their identity,” the statement added.
“A social media “handle” or “identifier” is any name used by the individual on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The visa application form will list the specific social media platforms for which identifiers are being requested,” the statement explained.