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US to conduct social media background checks before issuing visa
Consular officials can now ask for social media usernames dating back to five years via the questionnaire.
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This means that consular officials can now ask for social media usernames dating back to five years via the questionnaire.
Authorities can also request email addresses, phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information.
A State Department official told Reuters that such information can be requested when “more rigorous national security vetting” is needed.
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Reports indicate that the State Department expects about 0.5% of visa applicants to be given the questionnaire.
Providing the information is voluntary. However, the questionnaire informs applicants that “individuals who […] do not provide all the requested information may be denied a US visa”.
A proposal to request “social media identifiers” for travellers using the visa waiver program was put forward by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) last year.
Critics, however, say the proposal could lead to the collection of personal information not relevant to security checks.
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