US resumes student visa processing, requires applicants to make social media public
The United States government has announced the resumption of student and exchange visitor visa processing, but with a new condition: all applicants must set their social media accounts to public for inspection.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the US Department of State, it was revealed that individuals applying for F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) nonimmigrant visas will be subject to stricter checks, including examination of their online activities.
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security. Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public,’” the statement read.
The department emphasised that holding a US visa is “a privilege, not a right,” and that each visa decision is regarded as a matter of national security.
The US government added that embassies and consulates abroad will soon begin setting appointments again for visa interviews in these categories and advised applicants to monitor the websites of their local embassies for any new updates.
This latest policy follows an earlier suspension of student visa processing in May, ordered by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
