Taiwanese visa-waiver users not subject to new US social media ID requirement

台灣免簽用戶不受新社群媒體帳號規定限制

Most Taiwanese travelers to US not affected by new social media username requirement


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) --- In response to reports that the U.S. State Department will require all applicants to submit their "social media identifiers," the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Sunday (June 2) announced that most Taiwanese travelers will not be affected, as most qualify for a visa-waiver.

On Saturday (June 1), the Associated Press reported that the State Department will require almost all applicants for U.S. visas to submit their social media usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers they have used over the past five years. However, the AIT released a statement on Sunday saying that it would not affect most Taiwanese passengers planning to visit the U.S.

The AIT said on Sunday afternoon that the new requirements for visa applicants had been proposed in March of 2018 and went into effect on May 30 of this year, affecting 15 million travelers from around the world, reported CNA. The categories of visas that will be affected include all immigrant (form DS-260) and non-immigrant (form DS-160) online visa applications, as well as the paper back-up version of the nonimmigrant visa application (DS-156).

On Oct. 2, 2012, the U.S. admitted Taiwan to its Visa-Waiver Program (VWP), which enables eligible Taiwan passport holders to stay in the U.S. for 90 days or less without a visa. In order to qualify for the VWP, Taiwanese travelers must first receive approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

An AIT spokesperson told CNA that the new requirements do not apply to the ESTA process. Therefore, most Taiwanese tourists visiting the U.S. will not need to submit the additional social media identifiers.