avoiding errors on ds 260 immigrant visa application form

A material misrepresentation of any type on a visa application may result in denial and potentially a finding of fraud. There is an option of answering “none.” But an applicant who answers “none” undoubtedly will be scrutinized at the visa interview, and the consular officer very likely will have independently searched for an online presence of the applicant and may challenge whether the answer was accurate. If the question is left unanswered, the system does not permit the applicant to proceed on the form. Can an Applicant Avoid Providing Information? The instructions direct not to provide passwords. The State Department guidance directs visa applicants to provide information associated with all online providers/platforms, applications and websites used to collaborate, share information and interact with others and to list the following associated with the individual’s social media profile: The question has a drop-down menu that lists 20 specific social media platforms: Immigration petitions filed in the United States do not contain the question. Visitors from friendly “visa waiver” countries who must complete the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) screening process are requested, but not required, to provide social media handles. without a visa, they are exempt from completing the DS-160, except for investors and a few other categories, but are subject to the DS-260 requirement. Because Canadians generally can enter the U.S. The DS-260 (Online Immigrant Visa Application) is required for family and employment-sponsored green card applicants applying from outside the United States. The DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application) generally is required for applicants seeking temporary, nonimmigrant visas, including business visitors, tourists, family visitors, students, executives and managers, technology workers and other specialty occupation workers, doctors, scientists, and investors.

Visa applicants and their sponsors and employers should be prepared for overall slower processing times and increased visa denials. Department of State Forms DS-160 and DS-260, affects all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applicants – short-term visitors and green card applicants alike. The requirement, which appears on the U.S. On May 30, 2019, the United States began requiring that visa applicants provide the social media identifiers for all accounts used within the last five years.

Avoiding errors on ds 260 immigrant visa application form