New US Visa Vetting: F, M, J Applicants Now Must Make Social Media Public for Approval

 June 26, 2025 – The U.S. Embassy in India, alongside other U.S. diplomatic missions globally, has implemented new, stringent vetting rules for nonimmigrant visa applicants, particularly those seeking F (academic student), M (vocational student), and J (exchange visitor) visas. Effective immediately, all individuals applying in these categories are now required to disclose their social media presence and make their profiles public during the vetting process.

This significant update mandates applicants to list all social media usernames or handles they have used across various platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, for the past five years. Crucially, applicants must also adjust the privacy settings on all these accounts to "public" to facilitate thorough vetting by U.S. officials.

The U.S. Department of State emphasized that this expanded screening is an integral part of broader vetting procedures designed to enhance national security and ensure that applicants do not pose a threat to the United States. "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," stated an official release from the U.S. Embassy in India.

The new guideline aims to help U.S. officials verify the identity and eligibility of visa applicants and to screen for potential security risks, including hostility toward the U.S. citizens, culture, government, or founding principles, as well as advocacy for or support of designated foreign terrorist organizations or unlawful behavior.

Applicants are reminded that they certify the information in their visa application as true and correct before submission. Failure to comply with the new requirements, including omitting social media information or maintaining private profiles, could lead to visa denial and potential ineligibility for future U.S. visas. Officials have indicated that consular officers may construe limited access or visibility of online presence as an attempt to evade or hide certain activity.

While the U.S. government has required applicants to provide social media identifiers since 2019, this new directive significantly deepens the level of scrutiny by mandating public access to profiles. This change is expected to impact thousands of Indian students and exchange visitors planning to travel to the U.S. for their academic and professional pursuits. Applicants are advised to meticulously review their online activity and ensure full transparency to align with the new, stricter visa requirements.