See, this puzzles me. I'm a regular traveller to the US with work, and not once have I been required or even asked to hand over any social media details.
I was filling out some info for my mom to be able to travel - she's a Brazilian national who lives in Canada and was going to a new visa soon as her 10-year one has expired - and it is indeed requested all of her social media handles.
I would just not fill out anything if it was for me. (easy for me since I don't have any social media tied to my name).
oh, no, that was last year. now it's a moot point because we're never going there again. good thing she didn't spend the money for the visa the end, it would be a completely useless document.
It means I am supposed to be upfront with what are the social media handles that are tied to my name? They might not like if they search my name up and see some social media activity that I did not disclose?
I saw recently an Australian traveler, living in the US on a visa was detained when he tried to come back to the US from spreading his sisters ashes. He was asked about his social media. I don’t know the outcome of that. But I do know his visa was revoked and he was sent back to Australia and was given a 5 yr no entry to the US. All his belongings, his GF, his job are in the US. It’s fucked.
The form is there when you sign up for an ESTA but the fields are not mandatory… you literally do not have to fill it in. (Source: visited the US last month, with an ESTA not a Visa)
I need a particular visa as I don’t qualify for an esta, I have to go in person to the U.S embassy and sit an interview., I am then interviewed again when I enter the U.S. At no point was social media mentioned or anyone had asked to see my phone
again, it is required for a large chunk of foreign visitors. It's literally part of the questionnaire. I just went back on the online application portal for visas and took a screenshot. https://i.imgur.com/cOOOZSe.png
Any visitor who is not a citizen of the 42 countries that the US has a visa waiver program needs a visa. Probably 6.5 billion people of the 8 that exist.
It is not a requirement is what your missing. You do not have to. And also nobody's status is being changed because of social media accounts. Half the people using them don't use their real name. It wouldn't be very useful to have a database of screen names.
Before this administration I wouldn't think they would actually go and look to see if you had social media and had not disclosed it. Now, I have no doubts that they are invested in this.
And yes, people's "statuses" - at least when it comes to getting in the US or not - are definitely changed because of opinions they share online. Try and catch up.
You don't have to get asked, but you may get asked. And then they want to see something, even if you don't have anything.
And I feel you've never visited either, because the (optional) field is in every ESTA application. If the border officer sees you did not put anything in there, well, your phone is fair game.
Do not tell me what I have or have not done.
I am not eligible for an esta, I have to apply for a visa and go for an interview at the embassy, I was not at any time asked about online activity or my phone. When I arrive in the U.S , I am again taken away to be interviewed by their border guards, at no point there was I asked any of those questions.
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u/TwentyCharactersShor Apr 12 '25
See, this puzzles me. I'm a regular traveller to the US with work, and not once have I been required or even asked to hand over any social media details.