The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil used their official X (ex-Twitter) feed on 13–14 October to warn that consular officers may delay a visa decision if an applicant’s social-media accounts are set to “private.” A video recorded at the Consulate-General in São Paulo explains that students (F/M visas), temporary workers (H, L and religious R visas) and journalists must list every social-media handle on the DS-160 form and keep the profiles open until the screening is complete. The post stresses that omitting an account can be considered misrepresentation and lead to refusal. Although the requirement to declare usernames exists since 2019, the instruction to unlock profiles is recent and, according to consular staff, extends this year to media professionals. The tightening follows a series of high-profile visa revocations last year over online comments deemed extremist, underscoring how digital footprints have become core evidence in U.S. security vetting. For Brazilian corporates the message is clear: employees sent on assignment or training programmes in the United States must be briefed on the new transparency standard. Mobility managers should audit assignees’ public posts, ensure that personal data supplied on the DS-160 matches what appears online, and prepare for longer adjudication times if privacy settings are not adjusted in advance. The development also heightens data-protection concerns. Companies will need internal policies that balance U.S. compliance with Brazil’s LGPD privacy rules, particularly when HR departments request screenshots or passwords during document preparation. Failure to manage the process could delay project start-dates and expose firms to confidentiality breaches. Finally, the episode is a reminder that visa strategy today extends well beyond traditional paperwork. Social-media hygiene is increasingly a prerequisite for global mobility, and multinationals should incorporate it into their pre-departure checklists for any employee heading to the U.S.
Source: Janela do Fato
