Need a US visa? Be prepared to hand over your social media

Nearly everyone applying for US visas will now have to submit social media details and have them scrutinised before they are allowed in.

The newly adopted rules will also force people to hand over five years' worth of email addresses and telephone numbers, the BBC reports.

Authorities say the new rules will affect about 14.7 million people every year.

Some diplomatic visitors will be exempt but people travelling to the US for work or study will be forced to hand over the information if they want a visa.

"We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States," the State Department reportedly said.

The rule was already in place for people who had previously visited parts of the world controlled by terrorist groups but now applies to pretty much everyone.

People will need to give up their account details on a range of social media platforms.

The new rules were first proposed by the Trump administration in March last year.