US Government to Review Social Media of Its Tourist Visa Applicants

El gobierno de los Estados Unidos de América revisará las redes sociales de sus turistas

As part of President Donald Trump’s migratory policies, the United States will request tourists who want to visit that country to provide their social media usernames, emails and phone numbers, both current ones and any others used in the last five years.

The US State Department announced these new modifications to their tourist forms back in March 2018, but they went into effect only recently. Their purpose, according to the government, is to ensure their national security.

“We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States,” the State Department explained. They also assured that this measure will affect some 15 million foreigners who request this type of visa every year.

Who should provide this information?

After these changes in US visa regulations, most travelers who apply for a permit to study, work or travel the United States must provide information on their social media profiles, emails and phone numbers. Those who apply for diplomatic and official visas will be excluded from this measure.

The new forms list a series of social platforms and require applicants to provide their current profile names, as well as any former or alternative ones they may have used during the last five years. They will also have to indicate every phone number they’ve owned during that period, as well as their email addresses and a list of all international travel destinations visited. Applicants must indicate whether they have ever been deported or if any member of their family has been involved in terrorist activities.