Now social-media details may become mandatory to acquire US visa
To double-check the identities of its visa applicants, the Trump administration now wants details such as their social media accounts, previous phone numbers and email addresses. The new guidelines make it mandatory for every person wanting to visit the US on a non-immigrant and migrant visa to answer a list of questions, according to a document posted on the Federal Register. Here's more.
New rules to affect 710,000 immigrant, 14million non-immigrant visa applicants
The US State Department is collecting the information of visa applicants for "identity resolution and vetting purposes", in sync with the statutory visa eligibility standards, reported PTI. Aiming to prevent the entry of people who might be a threat to the US, the new visa forms are likely to affect 710,000 immigrant and 14 million non-immigrant visa applicants, estimates the State Department.
US wants to know all you did in five years
Along with social media histories, phone numbers and email addresses used in the last five years, applicants will also be asked about their international travel, deportations, extraditions and their family's involvement in terrorist activities in this time. According to the document, which will be formally published today, the revised visa forms will also make it mandatory for certain applicants to undergo a medical examination.
People will get 60 days to comment, suggest changes
After the document is published, people will be given 60 days to comment, suggest changes if any, on the new tentative visa form. Interestingly, certain applicants such as those for most diplomatic and official visas, might get exempted from this gruelling.
