Washington, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : The United States has expanded its social media screening requirements for visa applicants, now including foreign journalists and certain professionals. This new measure, which takes effect today, mandates that H-1B visa holders and international students make their social media profiles public.
The State Department announced this extension last month, but it officially came into force on October 3. In its guidelines, the department instructed all applicants for non-immigrant visas, including I, TD, and TN categories, to set their social media privacy settings to “public” or “open.”
This change is particularly significant for foreign journalists traveling to the U.S. for work, as those applying for I-visas are now explicitly included in the online presence scrutiny. The new rule is part of a broader screening system affecting several visa categories commonly used by individuals traveling to the U.S. for work or study, particularly from India.
Previously, social media scrutiny was already in place for H-1B temporary workers, H-4 dependents, and H-3 trainees. It also applies to A-1 and M-1 students and their F-2 and M-2 dependents, as well as J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, among other non-immigrant categories.
Other visa categories already subject to scrutiny include certain diplomatic and official visas, those for religious workers, participants in international cultural exchanges, and fiancé visas.
The State Department stated that it uses available information during the screening process to determine an applicant’s eligibility to enter the country. It emphasized that the screening standards are uniformly applied to all visa applicants.
While the announcement did not specify how social media activity will be evaluated or which posts might influence visa decisions, making accounts public will assist consular officials in reviewing applicants’ online presence during the approval process.
The department characterized visa approval as a matter of national security, asserting that applicants must demonstrate their qualifications for the visa category they seek. Each visa decision is fundamentally linked to national security interests.
Additionally, the State Department reiterated that obtaining a U.S. visa is a privilege granted at the discretion of the government, not an inherent right.
This expansion comes at a time when U.S. officials are increasingly incorporating applicants’ online presence into immigration and visa screening processes. The latest changes extend this scrutiny to a broader group of individuals who frequently travel to the U.S. for work, including reporters and representatives from foreign media organizations.
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