For Student Visa Applications in Panama the U.S. Embassy Requires Open Social Media Accounts
Effective immediately, applicants for these types of visas have been asked to adjust their privacy settings. On June 20, U.S. media reported that the State Department had resumed visa processing.
The U.S. Embassy in Panama announced Thursday morning, June 26, that applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas, required for vocational training, academic courses, and exchanges, must have public social media accounts.
“This will facilitate the necessary investigation to establish identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law,” the statement from the diplomatic headquarters detailed.
At the end of May, the interview process for applicants for visas to study in the United States was interrupted. On June 20, US media reported that the State Department had resumed processing visa applications. However, officials, especially those from those surveyed in each country, will analyze the candidates’ online presence for “hostility” toward the United States.
This measure has drawn criticism from human rights advocates because it requires visa applicants not to criticize the US Government administration.
