The US Embassy in Dhaka has issued new instructions for specific categories of non-immigrant visa applicants, requiring them to set the privacy settings of all their social media profiles to “public”.
The directive, which has been in effect since 30 March, was announced in a message posted on the embassy’s official Facebook page on Friday.
This measure is intended to make the process of verifying identity and eligibility for entry into United States more effective and dynamic.
These instructions are not applicable to all non-immigrant visa applicants but are mandatory for the certain visa classes and their dependents.
According to guidelines, the rule applies to A-3 and C-3 (where the applicant is a domestic worker), G-5, and H-3 visa categories, as well as H-4 visa applicants who are dependents of H-3 holders.
Additionally, the requirement covers K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, and R-1 visa applicants, alongside R-2 visa applicants who are dependents of R-1 holders.
All non-immigrant applicants for S, T, and U visas must also ensure their social media privacy settings remain open to public.
The US Embassy stated that the verification of social media information would simplify the evaluation process for applicant identity and qualifications.
Prospective applicants are advised to review the official information sources published by US Embassy for detailed instructions and further guidance.
The US Embassy further emphasised that relevant applicants should strictly adhere to these new instructions to maintain transparency in the visa application process and to avoid potential complications.
