‘Treat merit’: Mea flags concerns on new social media rules for US visa; It is said that stay with Washington. Bharat News
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that the US should treat visa applications of Indian citizens on merit, after the US Embassy issued guidelines to seek details of social media accounts of applicants.Addressing a weekly press conference, Mea spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that visas and immigration cases are related to the sovereignty of any country, and the government is all associated with America on mobility and consular issues.“Visa and immigration cases are related to sovereign actions of any country. But we have seen the guidelines issued by the US Embassy, requiring the provision of social media identifiers in visa applications,” Jaswal said.He said, “But it is our belief that all visa applications of Indian citizens should be considered on the basis of merit. We are all connected with the American side on mobility and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian citizens are protected.”Earlier in the day, the US embassy in India asked Visa applicants to disclose all social media user names and handles for the last five years to check background.The embassy said in a social media post on X, “Visa applicants require the list of all social media user names or handles of each platform used in the last five years on the DS -160 visa application. Applicants prove that the information in their visa application is correct and correct, before they sign and submit.”“Quitting social media information can cause visa refusal and disqualification for future visas,” said this.This comes amidst the ongoing efforts of President Donald Trump’s visa process “to increase and ensure integrity”.Earlier this week, as the US State Department started a processing student visa application again, the US Embassy asked all student visa applicants to make their social media accounts public to check background.“Early effective, all individuals are requested to all individuals applying for F, M, or J non -irrigrant visa to make public the privacy settings on all their social media accounts to make public the facility of weaver required to establish their identity and entry for the United States.”
