Rowegie Abanto

Filipino and US soldiers carry their flags during a ceremony to mark US Veterans Day at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial on Nov. 11, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

Filipino and U.S. soldiers carry their flags during a ceremony to mark U.S. Veterans Day at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial on Nov. 11, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

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Filipino and US soldiers carry their flags

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177502562811420191111-veterans-day-GC-9452.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipino and US soldiers carry their flags during a ceremony to mark US Veterans Day at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial on Nov. 11, 2019. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The US Embassy in the Philippines announced Wednesday that the requirement for visa applicants to make their social media accounts public has been expanded to more categories.</p><p>In an <a href="https://ph.usembassy.gov/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ5k7RleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFTVmNCeGJObkg0Tmhjb0lyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvFnPYP1KmQvzdcEf7dQrEnx7Euc5BaXksrhqyqf5bL68d1WMbmMM8ALGVTl_aem_1EtxEhcsdLV79TO0HLl56g">advisory</a>, the US embassy said in addition to Students and Exchanges (F, M, and J), and Specialty Occupations (H-1B and their H-4 dependents), more types of visa applicants should also now make all their social media profiles public to complete the visa application process.</p><div><br/></div><ul style="list-style-type:circle"><li>Fiancé(e) Visa Applicants (K-1, K-2, and K-3 visas)</li><li>Certain Personal Employees or Domestic Workers (A-3, C-3, and G-5 visas)</li><li>Trainee or Special Education Exchange Visitors (H-3 and their H-4 dependents) </li><li>Cultural and Religious Visitors (Q, R-1, and R-2 visas) </li><li>Informant, Witness, and Victims of Crimes (S, T, and U visas)</li></ul><div><br/></div><p>The US State Department, in a separate but related announcement said: &quot;These are in addition to the H-1B applicants and their dependents, and the F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visa applicants already subject to this review.&quot; </p><p>The embasy said it also uses social media accounts &quot;to determine applicants’ eligibility to receive a visa.&quot; </p><p>It noted that the US has required visa applicants to provide their social media accounts on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms since 2019.  </p><p>It added that US visa applicants are required to list all their social media usernames, handles, or identifiers for every platform they have used in the last five years and to make sure their privacy options are set to &quot;public&quot; or open&quot; </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/8/how-filipinos-in-the-us-can-prepare-for-a-potential-encounter-with-ice-0927">How Filipinos in the US can prepare for a potential encounter with ICE</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/1/immigration-on-full-force-amid-holy-week-travel-rush-1223">Immigration on &#x27;full force&#x27; amid Holy Week travel rush</a></div><p>US visa applicants, the embassy said, should certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit.</p><p>&quot;Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas,&quot; it warned.</p><p>&quot;The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission... do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests&quot; and that they &quot;intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OTHER NEWS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5A8zIO_c5Og?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The US Embassy in the Philippines announced Wednesday that the requirement for visa applicants to make their social media accounts public has been expanded to more categories.</p>

The US Embassy in the Philippines announced Wednesday that the requirement for visa applicants to make their social media accounts public has been expanded to more categories.

Applying for US visa? You may also need to make your social media accounts public

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Applying for US visa? You may also need to make your social media accounts public

ABS-CBN News

Published April 01, 2026 03:46 PM PHT

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