US Tightens Visa Rules: Applicants Must Share All Social Media Handles from Past 5 Years

GOOBJOOG NEWS|NAIROBI:The US Embassy in Nairobi has reiterated a key visa requirement now affecting all applicants: they must disclose all social media usernames or handles they’ve used in the past five years on the DS-160 visa form. This includes platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. Applicants must certify that all the information provided is complete and accurate.

This policy, originally introduced in 2019, has taken on renewed significance under the Trump administration, which is aggressively expanding visa surveillance. In some cases, applicants may be asked to make their social media profiles public—a move privacy advocates warn could lead to greater monitoring, potential misinterpretation, and longer processing times.

The requirement affects all categories, but students and exchange visitors have been especially impacted. Recent reports indicate that the administration is using AI tools to scan for dissenting opinions—particularly those seen as critical of US policies or supportive of pro-Palestinian causes. In some cases, visas have been revoked or denied based on social media activity, even when no laws were broken.

Suppress Global Dissent

The new scrutiny comes amid wider efforts by the Trump administration to police political expression among foreigners. Universities such as Harvard have come under investigation for allegedly hosting “anti-American” or “antisemitic” student protests. Funding freezes and deportations tied to speech issues have raised alarms among free speech and academic freedom advocates.

Critics argue that the US is using visa power not just for security but to suppress global dissent—an approach that contradicts its claimed commitment to freedom of expression. Legal challenges are underway, and universities have begun pushing back, warning that such policies will chill open dialogue and reduce the US’s appeal as a study destination.

The declaration now indicates that online users will have to be wary of what they post, as it will determine a future visa application evaluation.