Belizeans applying for a visa to travel to the United States of America must now provide social media details. This new regulation came into effect June 1, 2019, following a new USA State Department policy. All persons filing for a US Entry Visa will be required to provide information about social media accounts they have used in the past five years, including past usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers.
In a statement made by the State Department, they indicated, “We already request certain contact information, travel history, family member information, and previous addresses from all visa applicants. We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens while supporting legitimate travel to the United States.” This new information requirement will allow the US Government to have access to “photos, locations, date of birth, dates of milestones, and other personal data commonly shared on social media.”
Each year, hundreds of Belizeans apply for a Visa under the US Immigration Law to enter the country for many reasons, including work, leisure, and medical. Critics have cited that this new regulation can have negative effects and can even pose as an invasion of privacy. Some of the social media information now required include Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
The State Department’s policy stems from President Donald Trump’s request for the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to put in effect “a uniform baseline for screening and vetting standards and procedures” back in March 2017 according to a memo published in the Federal Register.
For more information into the visa application policy and requirements for Belizeans, visit https://bz.usembassy.gov/visas/
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