Trump Аdministration Аpproves Тougher Visa Vetting, Including Social Media Checks

Society | June 1, 2017, Thursday // 14:34
Bulgaria: Trump Аdministration Аpproves Тougher Visa Vetting, Including Social Media Checks pixabay.com

The Trump administration has rolled out a new questionnaire for US visa applicants worldwide that asks for social media handles for the last five years and biographical information going back 15 years, according to Inews.

Under the new procedures, consular officials can request all prior passport numbers, five years' worth of social media handles, email addresses and phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information including addresses, employment and travel history.

Officials will request the additional information when they determine "that such information is required to confirm identity or conduct more rigorous national security vetting," a  State Department official said on Wednesday.

The State Department said earlier the tighter vetting would apply to visa applicants "who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities."

President Donald Trump has vowed to increase national security+ and border protections, proposing to give more money to the military and make Mexico pay tobuild a wall along the southern US border.

Immigration lawyers and advocates say the request for 15 years of detailed biographical information, as well as the expectation that applicants remember all their social media handles, is likely to catch applicants who make innocent mistakes or do not remember all the information requested.

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Tags: Inews, Donald Trump, passports, social media

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