Social Media Screening Lands Indian Students in Trouble
Indian students seeking higher studies in the US are getting hurt because of rigid checks on social media. The US embassy is either rejecting or postponing visa applications in case social media account information is not provided. One such incident displays how this regulation affected an Indian student. His US visa was in hold as he did not include his Reddit account in the application.
Student Shares His Experience Online
The student expressed his experience in a post on Nettinta. He had requested an F-1 visa and appeared for a personal interview at the US embassy. In his words, his Reddit account was open and contained no adverse or objectionable content. For this reason, he did not mention it in the DS-160 visa application. At the interview, the officer questioned why the account was not mentioned. He said it was already out there. The officer, however, said the account was not accessible and issued a 221(g) form, suspending his visa.
Student Questions Technical Glitch in Visa Ruling
The student is of the opinion that the problem could be because of a technical glitch. He questioned how a technical issue could result in such a delay in processing the visa. He was disappointed that even though he was open, his application wasn't cleared.
US Visa Regulations Regarding Disclosure on Social Media
The US government has made it compulsory to provide all social media handles utilized in the last five years while completing the DS-160 form. This includes non-immigrant visa applicants, including exchange visitors and students. Applicants are required to provide IDs for social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and others. They are also asked to make those accounts public.
Consequences of Missing Social Media Information
If information demanded is not provided, the embassy sends a 221(g) slip. It implies that the application requires extra documents or verification. The visa stays pending until the verifications are done. Immigration attorneys have observed that increasing numbers of students are now receiving 221(g) slips for deficient or incomplete social media information.
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