These fields include: phone numbers for the past five years, email addresses for the past 10 years, IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos, family member names (and their phone numbers, dates of birth, places of birth and place of residence), biometrics such as face, fingerprint, DNA and iris, and business contact details.

New York-based Australian immigration lawyer Zjantelle Cammisa Markel said the vetting to establish “identity and admissibility” has added notably to visa processing wait times and caused some consulates around the world to cancel interviews to manage the administrative burden.

“Typically, they’re looking for anything that is anti-American, anti-Israel or anything that could be considered inciting terrorism or unrest,” she said.

Any activity that suggests illegal behaviour is a no-no, and on that topic, Cammisa Markel said, although marijuana use is legal in some states, it is still prohibited federally.

“A picture at a dispensary in Colorado, where it’s legal ... that would still be a problem,” she said.