#trump administration approves social media screening for visa applicants
US visa applicants may be required to disclose any social media handles, email addresses, and phone numbers used over the previous five years, under new procedures approved by the Trump administration. As Reuters reports, a new questionnaire for visa applicants was approved by the Office of Management and Budget on May 23rd, after receiving sharp criticism during a public comment period.
The procedures allow consular officials to request 15 years worth of personal information — including applicants’ previous addresses, employment history, and travel records — in addition to the social media data. More than 50 academic groups criticized the proposed screening procedures in a letter to the State Department earlier this month, writing that…
