Visa for the United States: why you have to offer data from your social networks

If you plan to apply for a
visa of
United States or renew the one you already have, you will also have to think about what you post on Facebook or Twitter.

And that's it, as announced by the State Department Friday, starting in June, most people applying for a US visa will have to send their social network data with their requests. But not that.

In accordance with the new regulations, interested parties must provide, in addition to all the documentation already required, the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers that they have used over the past five years.

The new information requested, announced for the first time last year, obeys an order from the president.

Donald Trump

2017 and, according to the government, calls for greater control over the security of visa applicants.

"We are constantly working on finding mechanisms that improve our detection processes to protect US citizens, while promoting legitimate travel in the United States.

United States

"said the ministry.

When proposed in 2018, the authorities estimated that the proposal would affect 14.7 million people a year. Several civil society groups have focused on the measure.

The United States Civil Liberties Union baderted that "there is no evidence that such social media control is effective or fair" and felt that "it is the only way to control social networks". it would incite people to censor themselves on the Internet, any joke can be taken seriously.

Who should offer the new information?

According to the new regulations, most people who apply for a US visa must send information on their social networks.

As a result, the new visa application forms list a series of social platforms and require the applicant to provide the account names that he or she currently uses or in the last five years.

The request also includes the possibility of offering optional information on the accounts of other social networks that are not on the form.

Some candidates for diplomatic and official visas will be exempted from the new measures, according to the state department. However, people traveling to the United States for tourism, for work or for study must provide their information.

Previously, only candidates who needed additional research, such as people in areas of the world controlled by radical groups or certain countries, were required to provide this information.

According to immigration sources consulted by the American newspaper The Hill, anyone who lies about his use of social networks could face "serious consequences for immigration".