T谩naiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris will engage with the US authorities following the imposition of sweeping new social media checks for student visas.
Mr Harris said he is 鈥渄eeply concerned鈥 about the 鈥渧etting鈥 of social media accounts and will raise the issue with the new US Ambassador to Ireland, Edward Walsh, when he takes his post.
The US Embassy in Dublin confirmed on Monday that Irish students applying for certain US visas will be instructed to set their social media profiles to public as part of a new 鈥渃omprehensive and thorough鈥 vetting process.
Following a pause, it confirmed that it will shortly resume taking applications for J, F and M visas, all used by students travelling to the US to study and work.
A spokesman said: 鈥淲e use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security.
鈥淯nder new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
鈥淭o facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to public.鈥
The embassy stated that visa applicants will be required to list all social media usernames or handles of 鈥渆very platform they have used from the last five years鈥 on their application forms.
It also warned that 鈥渙mitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas鈥.Mr Harris has now intervened with the US authorities to seek more information on the plans, saying he is 鈥渧ery concerned鈥 about the 鈥渆xpanded vetting鈥 of students.
He said: 鈥淲hile US immigration policy is a matter for the US authorities and I fully respect the administration’s right to determine their own immigration policy, this decision has understandably caused deep concern, confusion and apprehension for young Irish people who may wish to travel to the United States.
鈥淥ur relationship with the United States is deep and enduring. Importantly, it also sees thousands of people travel in both directions every year. The intergenerational, people-to-people relationship between the US and Ireland begins with the opportunities that both countries afford to young people. It is important that we work to protect this.
鈥淟ast night [Monday], I asked my officials to engage directly with the US embassy here in Dublin and with the administration more widely in a bid to ascertain and provide as much clarity as possible about these new arrangements, particularly to those students who are due to travel in the coming months.
鈥淚 also asked my officials to engage with third-level institutions and organisations that provide services for students who wish to travel with the United States.
鈥淭his will be with the clear aim of providing as much clarity as possible on the impact of these new arrangements, relevant guidance and furthermore assessing what possible supports can be provided to young people who wish to travel to the United States in the coming months.
鈥淔inally, with the new US ambassador to Ireland due to formally take up his post next month, I intend to raise this matter with him as part of a wide-ranging engagement on issues that matter to both the US and Ireland as we seek to further strengthen our longstanding diplomatic relations.鈥
Taoiseach Miche谩l Martin, meanwhile, said he did not 鈥渁pprove of or agree with鈥 the new measures.
He said: 鈥淚 believe those measures by the United States are excessive.鈥
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