US wants to demand social media names for every visa application

Any person applying for a visa in the United States must provide their social media usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers. This is stated in a proposal that the American government is publishing.

 

The proposal is an extension of existing practice, requiring social media information, email addresses and telephone numbers only for applications requiring additional research. This concerns persons who travel from or through countries that the US considers to be risky. About 65,000 individuals fall under that category, Bloomberg reports .

 

Due to the expansion to all visa applications, millions of people will soon have to provide their social media usernames, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses from the previous five years when entering the US. Nearly fifteen million people apply for a visa every year.

 

The rules have yet to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget. After the publication on Friday, a consultation period of sixty days will follow.