Includes closed accounts and expanded family information items
Items to be entered on permanent residency and citizenship applications are expected to increase again. Reuters reported that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is planning to revise its forms to require up to 10 years of social media account history. It was also reported that accounts that have already been closed or deleted will be included in the disclosure. It is also reported that the application forms for travel permits and family information such as parents and siblings will be expanded. Until now, only 5 years of account information prior to the application date was required, but if this report is true, the period will double. Amidst intensified scrutiny, the reason this matter is particularly noteworthy is the scale of the forms and the number of people who will be affected. This could affect how millions of people prepare their documents each year, as it broadly applies to those applying for adjustment of status, citizenship applicants, and those seeking to remove conditional permanent residency.
The five-year regulation already in effect will be the starting point.
“USCIS published a notice of information collection in the Federal Register on March 5, 2025, requiring five years of social media account information prior to the application date.”
The roots of the current form revision discussions date back to March 2025. USCIS announced the addition of a field for social media account IDs to nine forms: N-400 (Application for Naturalization), I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), I-131 (Application for Travel Document), I-589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal), I-590, I-730 (Petition for Alien Relative), I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence), I-829 (Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status), and I-192 (Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant). Accounts used within the five years prior to the application date are subject to this requirement. This announcement included two comment periods, 60 and 30 days, during which USCIS stated it received 1,186 comments. The regulation actually went into effect in February 2026 when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gave its final approval to this information collection. USCIS estimated that applicants would spend an additional approximately 285,999 hours annually filling out the social media information, affecting approximately 3.6 million people per year. The basis for this is an Executive Order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, which directed federal agencies to enhance screening and vetting procedures for aliens.
The Department of State’s visa application form (DS-160) has already required reporting of social media accounts for five years since 2019. This measure expands that obligation from the Department of State’s visa processing stage to USCIS’s domestic immigration benefit processing stage. This means that not only those who obtain visas at overseas consulates and enter the country, but also those already residing in the United States and preparing for adjustment of status to permanent residency or naturalization applications, will now undergo the same kind of screening. This announcement adopted a generic clearance method, bundling multiple forms together for processing instead of creating separate regulations for each individual form. This also allows for the flexibility to quickly change the scope of application or the required period in the future without a separate public hearing process.
Reuters reports expansion of policy to 10 years
“Reuters reported that USCIS plans to require social media handles for up to 10 years, including those from closed accounts, on the revised form.”
Reuters reported in early July 2026 that USCIS plans to revise its forms for green cards, citizenship, and travel permits, extending the period for social media history requests from five years to a maximum of ten years. The report also stated that closed or deleted accounts would be included in the disclosure requirements. The same report indicated that detailed information about immediate family members such as parents and siblings is also being considered for inclusion. However, it was not clearly stated at the time of the report whether this expansion plan had been finalized as a formal regulation or was still in the form revision preparation stage. USCIS did not directly confirm the specific wording on how many years of history would be required or in what manner before the new forms are officially released. From the applicant's perspective, it has become increasingly important to organize their online account history in advance, regardless of whether the changes are finalized. In particular, the report that even closed accounts would be subject to these requirements suggests that deleting an account will not exempt it from the review process.
Similar period reports stated that H-1B visa holders and their families (H-4) are already experiencing delays of several months in their scheduled interviews when trying to get visa stamps at overseas consulates in countries like India. The explanation given for these delays is the extended social media verification process. Such delays may also occur for those preparing for travel permits (I-131) or re-entry permits. For applications requiring joint preparation by a couple, such as green card applications based on marriage, the scope of required documents is expected to broaden further due to the expansion of the family information section.
The impact of social media verification on audit practices
“If the information on your application differs from your online posts, the examiner can issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) or question you during an interview.”
Social media information is used as review material from the moment an application is submitted. Reviewers compare marital status, residency history, and professional activities listed in the application with publicly available posts. If there are discrepancies between the application content and online records, reviewers may request additional evidence or conduct follow-up interviews. In August 2025, USCIS stated that online posts deemed to be anti-American activity will be considered a negative factor in reviews. However, specific criteria for what constitutes anti-American activity have not yet been disclosed. It remains unclear whether posts criticizing the government or participation in rallies would fall under this category. In citizenship applications, the determination of Good Moral Character (GMC) is also in effect. Reviewers comprehensively assess the applicant's overall conduct, and social media posts are included as one of the criteria for this judgment.
If you fail to list your account and it's discovered later, it may be considered a false statement, carrying the risk of your application being rejected, and this decision is difficult to reverse. In spouse visa applications based on marriage, it's known that in practice, authorities compare the dates of when the couple met and their cohabitation history with the dates of social media posts. If the dates or locations of your posts do not align with what you stated in an interview, the immigration officer may request additional documentation or send a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). While this process does not immediately lead to a denial, it will require additional time and paperwork for your explanation.
Concerns surrounding privacy and freedom of expression
“Civil society groups, including the Brennan Center for Justice, which monitors immigration policy, point out that this measure could stifle applicants” political speech.”
Civil society groups have expressed concern about the government's use of applicants' past posts as grounds for denial. They point out that this creates a chilling effect, as political commentary or posts about attending rallies could potentially be used as grounds for future disadvantages. According to Reuters, the implementing agency has not yet revealed specific guidelines on which posts are classified as anti-American activities or detrimental to national interests. It remains unclear whether posts criticizing the government or a history of supporting specific organizations would be subject to judgment. Furthermore, the burden of proof falls on the applicant to explain if an account was hacked or if a fraudulent account was created by someone other than the applicant. The 10-year period means that accounts created during the applicant's university days or even earlier could be included, and in practice, such uncertainties discourage applicants from even applying.
Student visa (F, M) and exchange visitor visa (J) applicants are increasingly exposed, as they are even required to switch their social media accounts from private to public starting June 2025. Concerns have been raised about the side effect of applicants becoming cautious even about comments related to their studies or research, as making accounts public means posts can be viewed by anyone, not just consular officers.
Closing remarks
If you are preparing to apply now, it is safer to organize your online activity history in advance. Deleting accounts in a hurry does not make records disappear. Deleted accounts may remain in cached or backup forms, and if discovered later, could be interpreted as an attempt to conceal. You must honestly list all accounts you have used without exception. It is also necessary to check in advance whether the records left on social media align with your marital, residency, and employment history that you will write on the application. You should also consider whether there are any accounts you created a long time ago and forgot about, or if you have changed your ID or used multiple accounts. If you discover accounts not created in your name or impersonating accounts, you should prepare supporting documentation. Even if the form revisions are not yet finalized, there is no downside to preparing this in advance. Particularly in cases where spouses prepare documents together, such as for a marriage-based green card application or a conditional green card removal, it is safer to review your spouse's account history as well and ensure there are no discrepancies. The actual revision date of the form, when it will be reflected in the submission channels, and whether the 5-year or 10-year period will be the final standard are matters to be reconfirmed through official USCIS announcements.
Disclaimer: This column is for general information purposes only and is not legal advice for your specific case. You should always consult with an attorney who specializes in immigration law for your individual case.
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