DS-160 social media identifier: what to enter for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X
The social media identifier is your username or handle — not the profile URL, not your name, never your password. Paste your link and get the exact string to type into the form.
Enter this in the DS-160 identifier box
Your identifier will appear here.
The form wants the username or handle only — not the full URL, and never your password. The platform goes in the dropdown; this string goes in the box beside it.
Sure you have listed every account?
An account you used in the past five years but left off the form is treated as misrepresentation — a far bigger problem than anything posted on it. A free scan shows what is publicly tied to your name, so you can list it before an officer finds it.
Check my profiles free →Examples by platform
Choose the platform in the dropdown, type the identifier in the box beside it. Each platform has its own page with where to find the username and the mistakes applicants make.
| Platform (dropdown) | Profile link | Identifier to enter |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedInLINKEDIN | linkedin.com/in/jane-doe-4b1a2c | jane-doe-4b1a2c |
| InstagramINSTAGRAM | instagram.com/jane.doe | jane.doe |
| FacebookFACEBOOK | facebook.com/jane.doe.92 | jane.doe.92 |
| X (Twitter)TWITTER | x.com/janedoe | janedoe |
| YouTubeYOUTUBE | youtube.com/@janedoe | janedoe |
| TikTokOther websites question | tiktok.com/@janedoe | janedoe |
The platforms the form lists
Select each one you have used in the past five years and give an identifier for every username you used on it. The State Department maintains this list and it changes over time — answer whatever your version of the form shows.
We can audit these for you
Also on the dropdown
ASK.FM · DOUBAN · FLICKR · GOOGLE+ · MYSPACE · PINTEREST · QZONE (QQ) · SINA WEIBO · TENCENT WEIBO · TUMBLR · TWOO · VINE · VKONTAKTE (VK) · YOUKU
Common questions
What is the social media identifier in the DS-160?
It is the username or handle you use on that platform — the name that identifies your account, not the web address and never your password. You pick the platform from the form's dropdown ("social media provider/platform"), then type the identifier in the box next to it. For instagram.com/jane.doe the identifier is jane.doe.
What is my LinkedIn identifier for the DS-160?
The part of your public profile URL after linkedin.com/in/ — for linkedin.com/in/jane-doe-4b1a2c it is jane-doe-4b1a2c, numbers included. Not your name: thousands of profiles share it.
What is my Instagram or Facebook identifier for the DS-160?
Your username — the part after instagram.com/ or facebook.com/ (jane.doe), not the display name on your profile. A Facebook account that never set a username has an address like facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012345678901; the number is its identifier.
What does "social media provider/platform" mean on the DS-160?
It is the dropdown where you choose the platform — FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, TWITTER, YOUTUBE and others. Choose one, enter your identifier for it, and use "Add Another" for each further platform or username.
Do I enter the full URL or just the username?
Just the username. Pasting a full URL is one of the most common mistakes on this question. If your profile is linkedin.com/in/jane-doe-12345, the identifier is jane-doe-12345.
My identifier has capital letters or dots — does that matter?
Enter it exactly as it appears on your profile. Handles are generally not case-sensitive on the platforms themselves, but the point of the answer is that an officer can find the account, so reproduce it faithfully rather than "cleaning it up".
What if I used more than one username on the same platform?
List each one separately using the form's "Add Another" button. The question covers every username used in the past five years, including handles you changed away from and accounts you have since deleted.
What if my platform is not in the dropdown?
TikTok, Threads, Discord, Twitch and similar platforms are not in the fixed list. The form asks a separate question about other websites or applications you have used to create or share content in the past five years — that is where they belong, answered honestly.
Is the identifier my email address or phone number?
No. The DS-160 collects your email addresses and phone numbers in their own questions. The social media section wants usernames only — never a login email, phone number or password.
What happens if I leave an account off?
An account you used within the five-year window but did not disclose can be treated as willful misrepresentation under INA 212(a)(6)(C)(i), which carries a permanent ineligibility. That risk is almost always larger than whatever the account actually contains, which is why the forgotten-account problem matters more than the embarrassing-post problem.
Related
Independent service — not affiliated with any government and not legal advice. Always confirm against the live CEAC form.