Of note, these visas are not the B1/B2 Visitor visas often used by tourists to visit the US for short periods of recreation.

The additional requirements will see applicants providing, and making public, all their social media accounts so that it may be scrutinised by US Embassy officials.

Said the Embassy in a Facebook post: “Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”

The Embassy notes that this requirement is essential in determining whether applicants pose a threat to their national security. “We 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 U.S. national security,” the post said.

According to the US Department of State, the F visa is for students pursuing an academic course of study at an accredited university, while the M visa is suited for students in vocational education and training. The J visa is for individuals wishing to participate in US government-recognised exchange programmes, like teaching.