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US demands social media details from visa applicants

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Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#291

Post by lloeki »

godelski wrote: post #97
HeavenFox wrote: post #74

As any US Visa applicant can attest to, the DS-160 is already some of the most annoying form you have to fill - in fact for most people it's less pleasurable than doing 1040. In addition to asking for details of every school you went to, every job you had, every country you've been to, they ask you questions like this: >> Have you ever violated, or engaged in a conspiracy to violate, any law relating to controlled su…

Can some lawyer explain why these questions are necessary? I understand that you can add extra convictions for lying on these applications, but all the above questions are quite damning themselves. Like >> Are you a member or representative of a terrorist organization? Assuming you are: you answer yes and you get denied a visa (duh). Answer no and the gov doesn't know, what happens? You commit terrorist activities on…

RFC3514! So basically a “Please reject my visa application” check mark.

Even if you were willing to answer this honestly it can even become extremely hard to actually answer: what it is deemed a “terrorist” organisation? Maybe your home country would not consider some group as such but the US does? What about drug usage? It’s not even consistent across US states, let alone a different country.

To properly fill this you’d have to be a law expert in both US law, your home country’s, and probably international law too to resolve the impedance mismatch between both.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#292

Post by tialaramex »

fastball wrote: post #251
robocat wrote: post #107

I am happy to never visit the US due to the rules. However it sucks that the US is the easiest/cheapest way to transit to many countries. However I can't transit through say LA without "entering" the US. So I can't visit other countries easily (especially Canada, or central America).

Huh? If you don't want a visa, why do you care about this?

They explained that pretty clearly. The US insists that you are entering their country if your route of travel passes through US territory. So sensible routes to lots of other countries that don't themselves have obnoxious rules are off limits if you don't want the US nosing thorough everything.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#293

Post by rbanffy »

diveanon wrote: post #253
hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They only have 5-10 days vacation a year on average. Give them a break already!

They brought it upon themselves. Americans resist every attempt that I have seen to improve working conditions. It was such a big issue for me that it motivated me to leave the SV tech community and the US altogether. I don't see myself ever living there again.

Proper vacation time? That's communism!

edit: added sarcasm tags

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#294

Post by michaelt »

HeavenFox wrote: post #74

As any US Visa applicant can attest to, the DS-160 is already some of the most annoying form you have to fill - in fact for most people it's less pleasurable than doing 1040. In addition to asking for details of every school you went to, every job you had, every country you've been to, they ask you questions like this: >> Have you ever violated, or engaged in a conspiracy to violate, any law relating to controlled su…

  >> Have you ever committed, ordered,
  incited, assisted, or otherwise
  participated in torture?
Aw man, I wouldn't have hired that dominatrix for my buddy's bachelor party if I'd known it makes me ineligible to enter the United States.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#295

Post by DarmokJalad1701 »

refurb wrote: post #220
nojvek wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well H1B is a terribly managed skilled migration. Countries like Australia and Canada do it well with their points system that is very fair and transparent. H1B is based on a lottery. Which there are organized that openly abuse the system and the US gov doesn’t do much about it. You either let people in or out. H1Bs are stuck in limbo for years with false hope. It’s a very sad way to live and it’s not good for the co…

You either let people in or not? Most countries have a graduated immigration system - you start with a work visa, you try and get permanent residence, then try for citizenship. The US isn’t alone in this except for maybe the fact that the demand to immigrate to the US far outstrips the limits.

Is there any other country where the waiting time to go from a work visa to a permanent residency exceeds 15+ years for citizens of certain countries even after the petition is approved?

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#296

Post by tallanvor »

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #267
briandear wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And don't get me started on the stupid fact that you cannot renew your US visa within the US Ever been to Korea? Ever had a Chinese visa? How about India on a visa? If Indians want an easier time with US visas, then the Indian government should stop with their draconian visa process. Chinese and Korean work visas aren’t much better. Americans trying to get work visas for the EU also have a very difficult time as we…

I've had no issues living in Norway for the past 5 years and I'm not sure if I've ever been asked if I were a terrorist. I certainly haven't been asked for my social media information. Not only that, but I could visit Europe for 2 months without a visa. No paperwork, nothing. I had passport control in Copenhaven, but nothing whatsoever in Norway. In contrast, a Norwegian citizen must fill stuff out to have the same l…

You don't go through passport control in Norway unless you are departing or arriving from a non-Schengen country. So flying between Copenhagen and Oslo, for example, doesn't involve passport control.

Work permits in Norway used to be 3 valid for 3 years at a time, but they've had to shorten this to 2 years due to EU requirements. If you get permanent residency you also have to renew it every two years by making an appointment and visiting the police station. Luckily they don't charge you for renewals of permanent residency, just the initial application.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#297

Post by DarmokJalad1701 »

jki275 wrote: post #247
codedokode wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I understand, those questions are for tourists too, not only for people wanting to live in US.

The DS-160 is the immigrant visa application as I recall.

Nope. Non-immigrant visa applicants -- tourist, business, work visa, student visa ... they all have to fill the DS-160.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#298

Post by natch »

throwaway9d0291 wrote: post #276
refurb wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And don't get me started on the stupid fact that you cannot renew your US visa within the US, and in the end people on student/work visas have to take the pointless trip to Canada/Mexico just to get a new visa. That’s a feature, not a bug. You don’t have to kick people out if they can’t renew, you just don’t let them back in.

The missing part here is that on a student/work visa, you're entitled to remain in the country longer than your visa is valid for. When I was living in the US, I was on an E-3 visa and my wife was on an F-1. My visa lasted for 2 years, however my I-94 (which permits me to remain in the US) lasted for 3. My wife's visa was for a single year but her I-94 was for the entire duration of her study. What this means in prac…

Well, her demonstration of intent is all the more sincere if it requires undergoing some burdensome steps. The logic is there, so I’m not seeing that it’s a bug, although I don’t love it.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#299

Post by blablabla123 »

unionpivo wrote: post #284

What I wonder is what is considered a social media. Twiter, facebook, linkedin sure. But is github social media site? How about medium ? Steam webstore ? How about reddit and hackernews ? Stackowerflow ?

Exactly, also what about E-Mail accounts from the 90s of which I hardly remember the spelling? What about usenet? Oh, and I must guarantee that everything is correct.

If this applies also for the visitor visa, this is really not good news.

I don't care that they ask about why I visit, about the person I visit, what is my relationship to that and more personal questions. But it's starting to get a bit too much.

Re: US demands social media details from visa applicants

#300

Post by daemin »

chungleong wrote: post #281
jbergens wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't being a member of a terrorist organization enough to kick them out?

From a legal standpoint that's problematic since the government would be imposing a punishment on acts committed outside its jurisdiction--possibly ex post facto as well.

But a lot of countries have laws which say that you can be prosecuted upon your return for doing anything outside of the country which is illegal inside the country.
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