The United States President Donald Trump’s administration has warned Kenyan visa applicants against omitting details of their social media handles when applying for a travel permit.
In a notice issued on Friday, July 25, the US Embassy in Nairobi stated that visa applicants must list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used in the past five years.
According to the US government, all applicants must also be able to prove that the information provided in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit.
While warning against such commissions, the Embassy noted that failure to provide correct information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future US visa applications.
"Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used in the past five years on the DS-160 visa application form," the US Embassy stated.
"Omitting social media information on your application could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future US visas," the embassy added.
In the visa application form, an applicant is required to correctly provide their email address, social media username or handle, and telephone number.
However, applicants are not required to provide passwords to their social media accounts. Similarly, consular officers cannot modify applicants' social media accounts.
Social media screening for those seeking to travel to the US has been in place since 2019; however, the laws have become stricter since Trump took office in January this year.
Meanwhile, the latest notice comes against the backdrop of another warning issued on Wednesday, July 23, cautioning travellers against using fake immigration documents.
In the wake of a heightened crackdown on illegal immigrants, the US government has cautioned that individuals found engaging in fraudulent activities to obtain visas would effectively forfeit any chance of travelling to America.
"The US government's interagency efforts to combat fraud will end illegal immigration. Those who commit visa fraud will be banned from the United States for life," read part of the US Embassy's statement.
"A nation without borders is not a nation. We will pursue criminal charges against those who engage in visa fraud and those who bring in and harbour illegal aliens."
