YouTube identifier for the DS-160: what to enter
Select YOUTUBE in the DS-160 social media dropdown and enter your channel handle — the @name in youtube.com/@handle. YouTube gave every channel a handle in 2022–23, so if you have a channel, you have one.
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 →Example
Profile link
youtube.com/@kenji_cooksIdentifier (platform: YOUTUBE)
kenji_cooksThe handle is shown with an @; the form accepts it with or without. Older channel links (youtube.com/channel/UC…, /c/… or /user/…) still work; the tool returns that path if you paste one.
Where to find your YouTube username
- In the app: tap You (bottom right). Your handle is shown under your channel name, starting with @.
- On the web: click your avatar → View your channel. The handle is under the channel name and in the address bar.
- Or YouTube Studio → Customization → Basic info → Handle.
Common mistakes
Entering your Google email
Your YouTube account is a Google account, but the email is a login, not a social media identifier. Never enter an email or password in this section.
Entering the channel name
Channel names are not unique ("Kenji Cooks"). The @handle is.
Assuming a watch-only account does not count
YOUTUBE is in the dropdown and the question covers accounts you used, not only ones you posted from. If your account has a channel and handle, list it.
Getting the YouTube identifier right is the easy part
The real risk on the DS-160 is the account you forget to list, and the post that contradicts your application. A free check finds every public profile tied to your name and shows what an officer would see on each — before you submit.
Run the free visa social media check →YouTube on the DS-160: common questions
What is my YouTube identifier for the DS-160?
Your channel handle — for youtube.com/@kenji_cooks it is kenji_cooks (with or without the @; what matters is that the channel can be found). Select YOUTUBE in the dropdown and type it in the box beside it.
I only watch YouTube and never created a channel. What do I enter?
Open youtube.com, click your avatar and look for "View your channel" or "Create a channel". If no channel exists, there is no public handle to give. If a channel exists — even an empty one — it has a handle, and that is the identifier.
Do officers look at YouTube comments?
Comments you leave on any video are tied to your channel and count as part of your online presence. A long comment history under political videos is worth reviewing before you apply.
Other platforms
Independent service — not affiliated with any government and not legal advice. App menus change; the DS-160 platform list is maintained by the State Department. Always confirm against the live CEAC form.