In a move aimed at strengthening national security, the United States has introduced a new policy requiring applicants for certain nonimmigrant visas to make their social media profiles public.
According to an official notice, effective immediately, all individuals applying for F, M, or J category visas—typically issued for academic, vocational, or exchange programs—are requested to adjust the privacy settings on their personal social media accounts to “public.”
The measure means that students, scholars, researchers, and other exchange visitors seeking to enter the U.S. will need to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to allow public access. This change will enable U.S. authorities to review their online presence as part of the visa application process.
The statement emphasizes that this measure is necessary to facilitate the vetting process, which helps establish an applicant’s identity and determine their admissibility to the United States.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the notice reads.
“Effect immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are required to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.”
The policy is expected to impact thousands of international students and exchange visitors seeking to enter the U.S. for educational and cultural programs.
