The United States Embassy in India has announced updated visa guidelines, mandating increased scrutiny of social media activity for Indian applicants seeking entry under three key non-immigrant visa categories.
The guidelines mention that applicants for three types of non-immigrant visas to the US must set their social media accounts to public mode.
In a statement posted on X, the embassy mentioned that individuals applying for F (student), M (vocational student), and J (exchange visitor) visas must make their social media accounts public as part of the visa vetting process.
“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law,” it wrote.
The embassy noted that the requirement to provide social media identifiers has been in place for both immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories since 2019. However, this is the first time public access to social media accounts has been formally requested for specific visa classes.
“All available information is used in our visa screening and vetting process to identify individuals who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who may pose a threat,” the embassy stated.
The announcement comes after a temporary pause in scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students. The US administration used the pause to prepare for expanded screening protocols, which now include deeper analysis of applicants’ online activity.
On June 18, the US State Department confirmed it had resumed student visa processing and reiterated that all applicants must now provide access to their social media accounts. “The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country,” a senior State Department official said.
In a cautionary message posted on X, the US Department of State emphasized that holding a visa is a privilege, not a right.
“Using illegal drugs or breaking any US laws while on a student/visitor visa can make you ineligible for future US visas,” the embassy said. “US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued – and we may revoke your visa if you break the law.”
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