NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Thursday said that the US should treat visa applications of Indian citizens on the basis of merit, after the US embassy issued guidelines seeking details of social media accounts of applicants.
While addressing a weekly press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that visa and immigration matters pertain to the sovereign functions of any country, and the government remains engaged with the US on all mobility and consular issues.
“Visa and immigration matters pertain to the sovereign functions of any country. But we have seen the guidelines issued by the US embassy, requiring the provision of social media identifiers in visa applications,” Jaiswal said.
“But it is our belief that all visa applications of Indian nationals should be treated on the basis of merit. We remain engaged with the US side on all mobility and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian nationals are safeguarded,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the US embassy in India asked visa applicants to disclose all social media usernames and handles from the past five years for background checks.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit,” the embassy said in a social media post on X.
“Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas,” it added.
This comes amid President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to “enhance security and ensure the integrity” of the visa process.
Earlier this week, as the US state department resumed processing student visa applications, the US embassy asked all student visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for background checks.
“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 the vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law,” the US embassy in India posted on X.
While addressing a weekly press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that visa and immigration matters pertain to the sovereign functions of any country, and the government remains engaged with the US on all mobility and consular issues.
“Visa and immigration matters pertain to the sovereign functions of any country. But we have seen the guidelines issued by the US embassy, requiring the provision of social media identifiers in visa applications,” Jaiswal said.
“But it is our belief that all visa applications of Indian nationals should be treated on the basis of merit. We remain engaged with the US side on all mobility and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian nationals are safeguarded,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the US embassy in India asked visa applicants to disclose all social media usernames and handles from the past five years for background checks.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit,” the embassy said in a social media post on X.
“Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas,” it added.
This comes amid President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to “enhance security and ensure the integrity” of the visa process.
Earlier this week, as the US state department resumed processing student visa applications, the US embassy asked all student visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for background checks.
“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 the vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law,” the US embassy in India posted on X.
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