NAIROBI —
Anyone applying for a US visa must now disclose every social media handle they’ve used over the past five years. It’s no longer a recommendation — it’s a requirement.

The US Embassy in Nairobi confirmed the policy this week, stating that applicants must complete the relevant section of the DS-160 form, the standard application used for most non-immigrant visas.

“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit,” read a statement issued by the Embassy. Leaving out your Twitter or Instagram handle? That could cost you your visa — and your chance of ever getting one again.

Visa Denial and Permanent Bans

The Embassy made it clear: Failure to declare your online presence can lead to visa denial and permanent ineligibility for future US visas.

“Leaving out your social media information is treated as a serious omission,” the statement warned. “We take visa fraud very seriously. Those found misrepresenting or omitting key details will face a lifetime ban.”

The new spotlight on applicants’ online lives is part of wider inter-agency efforts by the US government to clamp down on fraud and illegal immigration. According to the Embassy, these efforts are not just administrative. They’re also criminal.

“We will pursue charges against individuals who engage in visa fraud, as well as those who harbour illegal migrants,” the statement read. “A nation without borders is not a nation.”

Even Students Are Not Exempt

The requirement applies across the board — including to international students seeking study visas. This comes at a time when thousands of Kenyan students are preparing to travel to the US ahead of the September semester.

While the rule isn’t entirely new — it’s been quietly in effect since 2019 — recent public emphasis on enforcement points to a tightening grip on applicant screening.

Social media vetting gained traction under former President Donald Trump, whose administration introduced sweeping immigration measures aimed at limiting both illegal and certain categories of legal immigration. That included scrutinising online activity for potential “security risks.”

Experts say officials can now review anything from posts, comments and shared media, to account tags, interactions and even private messages, if made accessible.

Critics Raise Concerns, But Policy Stands

Civil liberties advocates have long warned that social media screening could blur the line between legitimate security checks and infringement on free speech or personal expression. Some have questioned whether political views or religious beliefs could influence application outcomes.

But US officials remain unmoved. They argue the policy is necessary in an age where online activity often reveals more about a person than paperwork ever could.

“We’re simply asking applicants to be transparent,” a State Department spokesperson said in a previous briefing. “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

The Bottom Line

Planning to visit, study, or work in the US? You’ll now need more than just your passport and paperwork. Your digital life is also under review.

And with lifelong bans on the table for false or missing information, honesty — even about that old Facebook handle you abandoned in 2020 — might just be your safest bet.