The United States Embassy in Nairobi has cautioned Kenyans seeking visas to be transparent about their social media accounts when submitting applications.
In a statement on Monday, August 4, the embassy warned that omitting social media information could lead to immediate disqualification and ineligibility.
"Did you know that omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas?" the statement read.
The embassy explained that the U.S. government has, since 2019, implemented a requirement for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants to provide their social media identifiers.
According to the embassy, the information is considered part of a broader vetting process aimed at safeguarding the United States.
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"Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms.
"We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security," the statement added.
In a statement on Friday, July 25, the embassy announced that Kenyans applying for visas will now be required to disclose all social media usernames.
It said applicants will have to list all the social media handles or usernames they have used in the past five years on the DS-160 visa application form.
The applicants must also certify that the information provided is true and accurate before signing and submitting the form.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form.
“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the United States government introduced a new $250 (Ksh32,280) Visa Integrity Fee, effective from October 1, and will be added atop existing visa fees.
The fee applies to nearly all non-immigrant visa categories, including tourist and business visas, student visas, temporary work, and exchange visitor visas.
Only visa applicants under diplomatic categories A and G, and travelers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries, such as most EU states, Japan, and Canada, are exempt from the fee.
Notably, travelers who depart the US within five days of visa expiration or comply with conditions may be eligible to reclaim the surcharge.
