US Embassy Advises Student Visa Applicants to Make Social Media Profiles Public for Vetting
US Embassy requires student visa applicants to make social media profiles public for enhanced vetting, aiming to ensure identity and national security compliance.
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The US Embassy in India has issued a new advisory requiring all international students applying for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas to make their social media profiles public. This move aims to “facilitate vetting necessary to establish identity and admissibility” under US law, the embassy announced on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
The directive follows an announcement by the US State Department that social media profiles will now be reviewed as part of an expanded visa screening process. The department emphasized that visa issuance is a privilege, not a right, and that visa screening continues even after approval, with revocation possible if laws are violated.
“We utilise all available information in our screening and vetting processes to determine whether an applicant is admissible to the United States, including identifying any potential threats to U.S. national security,” the State Department stated. The new policy builds on a 2019 requirement for visa applicants to disclose their social media handles.
This update affects applicants for student and exchange visitor visas—F visas for academic students, M visas for vocational studies, and J visas for cultural and educational exchanges. The embassy also reminded students to comply fully with visa conditions, such as maintaining full-time enrollment and promptly reporting any changes to their schools, warning that violations could lead to visa revocation and affect future eligibility.
According to the 2024 Open Doors Report, India has become the largest source of international students in the US, with over 331,600 Indian students enrolled in the 2023–24 academic year, marking a 23% increase from the previous year.
