Applicants for B1 and B2 nonimmigrant visitor visas, however, are affected by the new rules. Since participants in the Visa Waiver Program are by definition not applying for visas, they are also unaffected by the changes to the Forms DS-160 and DS-156. Who Is Affected by the Change?Īll nonimmigrant visa applicants applying for visas abroad with the DOS will have to answer the social media handle or identifier questions except for applicants applying for visas in the following categories:Ĭ3 (except attendants, servants, or personal employees of accredited officials) Whether specified family members have been involved in terrorist activities. The other information requests are as follows:įive years of previously used telephone numbers įive years of previously used email addresses An applicant who has not used any of the social media platforms and who truthfully answers the questions “will not be refused on the basis of failing to provide a social media identifier.” However, “ailure to provide accurate and truthful responses on a visa application or during a visa interview may result in denial of the visa by a consular officer.” Other New Information RequestsĪs we detailed on our post on the Federal Register notices in 2018, the DOS is also requesting additional information from most applicants beyond social media handles and social media identifiers. Visa applicants who have not used any of the listed social media accounts within the previous five years will still have to answer the questions about social media handles and identifiers, but may respond with “None.” Applicants who do not currently use any of the platforms must still list any handles and identifiers if they have used any of the listed platforms within the previous five years ( e.g., an applicant for a visa in June 2019 who had a Facebook account until June 2016 - before deleting it - would have to list his or her handle(s) or identifier(s) from that deleted account from June 2014-June 2016). The FAQ states that it is “looking solely for social media identifiers.” It is important to add that the DOS is not requesting social media passwords. The FAQ makes clear that “pplicants must provide all identifiers used for all listed platforms.” This means that if an applicant has multiple handles or identifiers for a single listed social media platform, he or she must list all such handles or identifiers from the previous five-year period - in accordance with the form instructions. The two Federal Register notices explained that the question regarding social media identifiers “lists multiple social media platforms and requires the applicant to provide any identifiers used … during the five years preceding the date of the application.” What Information is Being Requested Regarding Social Media Handles and Identifiers? Thus, applicants should carefully survey the list of social media networks on the applicable form. The FAQ defines “ social media 'handle' or 'identifier' is any name used by the individual on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.” The Forms DS-160 (and DS-156) and DS-260 include a list of social media networks for which social media handles and identifiers are requested by the DOS. Defining a Social Media Handle or Identifier The new versions of the forms include the new questions about social media handles and identifiers. The DOS published updated versions of the Form DS-160 (online nonimmigrant visa application), Form DS-156 (paper back-up version of the DS-160), and the Form DS-260 (online immigrant visa application) on May 31, 2019.
HOW TO FILL DS 260 FULL
To learn about related issues, please see our website's full section on Consular Processing. We will also examine the original Federal Register notices published on March 30, 2018, at 83 FR 13806-13807 (immigrant visa applications) and 83 FR 13807-13808 (nonimmigrant visa applications). In this article, we will examine an FAQ document issued by the DOS on June 4, 2019, about the new social media identifier questions in the Forms DS-160 and DS-260. The policy changes stem from a Presidential Memorandum issued by President Donald Trump in March 2017, which we also discuss on site. We discussed the previously issued Federal Register notices proposing the new information collections in a 2018 blog post. On May 31, 2019, the Department of State (DOS) updated its immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms to include a request for social media identifiers and other additional information from the majority of U.S. What Information is Being Requested Regarding Social Media Handles and Identifiers?.Defining a Social Media Handle or Identifier.
0 kommentar(er)
