Nearly all applicants for US visas will have to submit their social media details under newly adopted rules.
The State Department regulations say people will have to submit social media names and five years' worth of email addresses and phone numbers.
Hitherto, people travelling to the US to work or to study will have to hand over their information.
"We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States," the department reportedly said.
The new rules apply to virtually all applicants for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. When it filed its initial notice to make the change, the department estimated it would affect 710,000 immigrant visa applicants and 14 million non immigrant visa applicants, including those who want to come to the U.S. for business or education.
The new visa application forms list a number of social media platforms and require the applicant to provide any account names they may have had on them over the previous five years.
They also give applicants the option to volunteer information about social media accounts on platforms not listed on the form.
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