Weeks after the US State Department ordered visa applicants to adjust privacy settings on all their social media profiles to "public", a social media user has revealed that their application was refused after they failed to share details about their Reddit account.
"I had my F-1 visa interview recently. During the interview, the visa officer raised a concern about my Reddit account, which I had not listed on my DS-160 form," wrote the OP on one of the visa-related subreddits.
The user said their account was public, and it did not contain any 'offensive content', but they were still denied the clearance.
"She mentioned that the account was not visible while was an open account, and at the end of the interview, issued me a 221(g) slip requesting that I make all my social media handles public," the user said.
"My concern is that my account seemed private to her while it was already public. What if it's a technical issue which recurs while she rechecks my handle which may lead to ultimate denial?" they added.
The 221(g) slip is issued to applicants whose visa application has been temporarily refused. It does not mean denial, and applicants are encouraged to comply with all requests promptly.
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Why US wants to access social media accounts?
All applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant US visas, which are meant for students, have been ordered to make their social media profiles public. As per the State Department, the order will allow thorough vetting of the candidates. It added that the US visa is "a privilege, not a right", and its screening does not stop after a visa has been issued, and authorities may revoke it if one breaks the law.
"Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law," the US Embassy said in a notification on June 23.
The provision for social media vetting for US visa applicants has been in place since 2019. However, the new announcements signal that foreign nationals will be subjected to an increased level of scrutiny. The enhanced surveillance comes amid President Trump's crackdown on immigration, leading to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids on illegal immigrants.
