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Trump administration has one more addition to legal visa holders headache by updating major USCIS forms to include social media account information.
I share the history and how it has affected the visa applications in the name of security checks since it made mandatory for DS-160 forms in 2019.
Watch this video to understand the implications of what you share on social media:
You will need to declare all your social media account IDs on some of the important USCIS forms.
If you intentionally hide any social media account and it is later found by government, it can be taken as misrepresentation.
USCIS may deny your application based on misrepresentation.
DS-160 Visa Applications
Legal visa holders have already shared all their social account to US embassy whenever they have applied for any type of US visa.
US embassy has used that information to make a decision for your visa application.
Since this social account screening has started at US Embassy in May 2019, there is a new type of admin processing that has witnessed a steep rise.
This processing is called DS-5535 and is a little different regular form 221g processing.
Through this you have to tell your 15 years of travel history including all countries that you have been to and all addresses where you have stayed.
And as soon as it is issued by the embassy, there is no timeline for processing.
Most processing takes anywhere from two months to 2 years or even 3 years. During this time, the US government checks whether you pose a threat to national security.
National Security Checks
This is the same National Security Check that USCIS forms is trying to evaluate by asking for your social media presence.
The decision to ask for person’s private social accounts was challenged in court in 2019 but the case was dismissed by judge in 2023. Hence, this social media account policy is still applicable for all type of USA visa application.
The America being a free speech country tag has become a little loose and a lot is going to change in the
next couple of years.
That is why I suggest, that you stay away from politics and religion related issues on social media.
In today’s time, any controversy can be created over any issue. Interpretation of any issue can be different.
It is only written in the rule that your application cannot be rejected on the basis of what is written on your
social media.
But can it be trusted?
Now that the Trump government has changed the birthright citizenship interpretation of the law, what is the guarantee that your social media posts will be interpreted according to your wish?
Rest is your choice.
You are smart yourself.
Are you?
