The government will look into many of your personal details during your green card petition filing process. Today, the team at McBean Law will talk about social media and how your social media presence can impact your green card case.
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LaToya McBean Pompy is an immigration lawyer who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Her experience sparked an interest in helping many families be together in the U.S. by founding McBean Law. If you need help with your or a loved one’s visa, contact us here or call us today at (888)-462-4006 to schedule a private consultation with LaToya and her team of New York immigration lawyers who are here to help you.
Will The Government Look at My Social Media?
Social media has become an inescapable part of our lives in an increasingly online-focused world. If you are currently going through the immigration process, you may be wondering if your online presence will be monitored by the authorities, and if your online behavior will have an impact on your petition.
The short answer to this question is: YES.
If you’re trying to get an immigrant visa to come to the United States on the DS-260 visa application form, there are questions on that form about social media. They’ve added those questions in recent years to provide more of a background check on individuals who are going through the immigrant visa process.
If you are going through the immigration process through Form I-485 or even I-130, those forms will not have questions regarding social media. This does not mean that the government won’t be looking into this anyway. It doesn’t mean that the adjudicated officer is not poking around your Facebook or Instagram pages, or maybe even TikTok, to find out what you are posting or who you are associating with.
How Does This Work?
Let’s say that your green card application indicates that you live in Omaha, Nebraska with your spouse, at such and such address. However, when the immigration officer looks at your social media, it looks like you’ve been spending a lot of time in, say, Florida. According to what you have been posting, it looks like you live and work in Florida, not the Nebraska address indicated in your petition.
So, when you get to your interview, the officer will scrutinize this information and ask questions about your living and working situation in order to determine whether or not your application includes fraudulent or incorrect information.
What Can You Do?
Our first tip is to be very cautious about what you share on your social media. Your digital footprint cannot be scrubbed clean, and the government will find out if you are hiding something one way or another. Make sure that your profiles are set to private and only authorized individuals have access to your private information.
That being said, make sure that you are being truthful on your application. Do not misrepresent the facts of your situation in an attempt to have a more presentable petition.
If there are certain facts about your case that could cause issues, work with a professional on resolving them before your application is submitted, or during the response and appeal process.
Planning Your Roadmap to Success
Whether you are seeking assistance with visa applications, green cards, citizenship, or any other immigration matter, we are here to help you every step of the way. Our mission is not just to provide legal services but to empower our clients with the knowledge and resources they need to achieve their immigration goals. With proper legal counsel, persistent preparation, and meticulous attention to detail, your success can become reality too. Partner with professionals like McBean Law to chart your visa journey’s triumph.
If you are interested in more topics like this, please consider subscribing to our newsletter to get weekly updates on immigration news, relevant topics, and more! You can also find us on YouTube where we do weekly Q&A sessions.
LaToya McBean Pompy is an immigration lawyer who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Her experience sparked an interest in helping many families be together in the U.S. by founding McBean Law. If you need help with your or a loved one’s visa, contact us here or call us today at (888)-462-4006 to schedule a private consultation with LaToya and her team of New York immigration lawyers who are here to help you.
