Germany to Scrutinize Visa Applicants' Social Media Usage
Germany is advocating for more rigorous social media scrutiny of Schengen visa applicants to mitigate fraud risks. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Authorities in Germany are advocating for the examination of social media accounts belonging to Schengen visa applicants, a move intended to assist embassy officials in validating the information provided. This information comes from a report by the UK charity Statewatch, which references internal documents from the German Federal Police.
Embassy officials within the Schengen Area, which includes 29 countries, typically evaluate visa applications based on subjective factors such as the “plausibility” of travel reasons and the likelihood of applicants leaving the area.
The document suggests that incorporating an investigation of applicants' social media accounts into the assessment process could be beneficial. It highlights the growing importance of social networks, which are often publicly accessible and can yield valuable information relevant to security considerations.
“It may be possible to check whether the traveler is active in them and which content is displayed, which groups they belong to, or which places were last visited,” the charity reported the document as stating. “Job profiles can allow conclusions about the actual profession and thus income.”
This recommendation is reportedly included in the ‘Handbook Visa Fraud: Preventive measures and repressive control approaches’. The handbook also encourages the creation of “risk profiles” that would utilize criteria such as “gender, age, groups of persons, origin, itinerary” to determine the risk of visa fraud among applicants.
A spokesperson for the Federal Police, as cited by Statewatch, noted that “intensive” use of open-source research “generally falls within the legal framework for border controls and the rules for issuing visas.”
“Furthermore, appropriate measures are always dependent on the national legislation in the EU member states,” the spokesperson added.
As of 2024, the Schengen Area encompasses 25 of the 27 EU member states, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Currently, Schengen visa applications do not include a section for applicants to provide their social media account information.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
Embassy officials within the Schengen Area, which includes 29 countries, typically evaluate visa applications based on subjective factors such as the “plausibility” of travel reasons and the likelihood of applicants leaving the area.
The document suggests that incorporating an investigation of applicants' social media accounts into the assessment process could be beneficial. It highlights the growing importance of social networks, which are often publicly accessible and can yield valuable information relevant to security considerations.
“It may be possible to check whether the traveler is active in them and which content is displayed, which groups they belong to, or which places were last visited,” the charity reported the document as stating. “Job profiles can allow conclusions about the actual profession and thus income.”
This recommendation is reportedly included in the ‘Handbook Visa Fraud: Preventive measures and repressive control approaches’. The handbook also encourages the creation of “risk profiles” that would utilize criteria such as “gender, age, groups of persons, origin, itinerary” to determine the risk of visa fraud among applicants.
A spokesperson for the Federal Police, as cited by Statewatch, noted that “intensive” use of open-source research “generally falls within the legal framework for border controls and the rules for issuing visas.”
“Furthermore, appropriate measures are always dependent on the national legislation in the EU member states,” the spokesperson added.
As of 2024, the Schengen Area encompasses 25 of the 27 EU member states, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Currently, Schengen visa applications do not include a section for applicants to provide their social media account information.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
