Irish students applying for US visas will have to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years.Getty Images

The US Embassy in Dublin issued a statement on Monday, June 23, regarding social media vetting for Irish students applying for US visas.

"The US Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," the US Embassy said in a statement.

"A US visa is a privilege, not a right.

"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 US national security.

"Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.

"To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public.'

"Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five 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. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.

"The US Embassy in Dublin will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check our visa scheduling service for appointment availability.

"Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission."

Taoiseach does not approve of new vetting measures

“I believe those measures by the United States are excessive,” the Taoiseach told reporters in Dublin on Monday, according to the PA.

“I don’t approve of them. I don’t agree with them.

"One of the great things in the world, in the modern world, has been the capacity for young people to travel, and mobility is important.

“The US is probably one of the more difficult countries to get into, at times. There is an issue around freedom of speech, but it’s more the atmosphere that’s created by these measures, the fear and the anxiety that young people will now experience when travelling.

“My understanding is applications are down in terms of J1 (visas). We have witnessed a pause on the processing of J1 most recently.

“There’s been a longstanding, obviously, relationship with America in terms of young people travelling and American young people travelling to Ireland.

“In the context of the European Union, we would love to have young citizens from the United Kingdom travelling freely across Europe. That’s the Irish position, and vice versa.

“I understand the security, but I think good intelligence and good security can stymie anyone who would be out to attack a country or attack America. I understand that. I get that, but I think it is excessive in respect of the measures announced today.”

Climate of fear

Bryan O'Mahony, the deputy president of Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ), formerly known as the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), told the PA on Monday he was concerned about the changes.

“Students should not be subjected to invasive scrutiny simply for seeking educational and cultural opportunities abroad.

“These changes create a climate of fear and self-censorship, and risk unfairly penalising students from marginalised or politically active communities.”

The union called on the Dublin government to advocate for the “rights and dignity” of students seeking to study, work, or travel on a J1 visa.

The AMLÉ advised students applying for a J1 visa or any US student visa this summer to “remain informed, stay safe, and carefully review what they are sharing publicly online."

In April, AMLÉ urged students "to be cautious and informed about the potential risks involved in activism while on a J1 visa."

It said at the time: "While activism is a vital part of student life and a right that should be protected, it is important that students fully understand the possible consequences for their visa status, including the risk of deportation, and take steps to safeguard their participation in such activities."

In the same statement, it added that it "strongly condemns any attempt to restrict the rights of Irish students on J1 visas to engage in activism."