In a move to tighten vetting procedures, the United States has introduced a new rule that now requires USA visa applicants under specific categories to make their social media profiles public. This policy affects individuals applying under F (Student), M (Vocational), and J (Exchange Visitor) visa categories.
Stricter Scrutiny for USA Visa Applicants Begins
While applicants have been required to provide social media handles since 2019, the new rule goes a step further. Now, USA visa applicants must ensure their privacy settings allow immigration officials to view their social content during the application review process. This change aims to enhance identity verification and assess admissibility more effectively.
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According to U.S. authorities, “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” and reviewing social media is part of a broader security framework. Applicants failing to make their profiles public could face delays or denials in their visa processing.
Purpose: Security and Transparency
The U.S. government clarified that the updated regulation is not an entirely new concept but rather a stricter enforcement of existing guidelines. By making social media visibility mandatory, the Department of State seeks to better understand applicants’ online behavior and ensure that no security risks go unchecked.
Visa officers will now review the content, connections, and engagement patterns of applicants’ public profiles to determine the authenticity and potential risks involved in issuing a visa.
