US imposes stricter visa rules for Pakistani applicants

Failure to comply could result in visa denial or future ineligibility

As part of tougher screening measures, the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore have instructed all applicants for F, M and J non immigrant visas to ensure their social media accounts are publicly accessible.

The directive is in line with a similar policy recently implemented by the US Embassy in New Delhi.

A June 18 internal cable from the US State Department instructs consular officials to intensify background checks to flag visa applicants with potentially hostile views toward the US or its institutions.

The move is part of President Donald Trump's broader strategy to tighten immigration screening.

“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 ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States,” the consulates said.

They warned that failure to comply could result in visa denial or future ineligibility.

Since 2019, visa applicants have been required to list their social media handles on application forms. However, the updated rule extends transparency by requiring public access to profiles for F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange visitor) visa categories.

An ARY News report noted that these updated screening procedures, aimed at bolstering national security, require consular officers to conduct comprehensive background checks, including detailed reviews of applicants' social media activity.

The State Department stated, "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision... We must ensure that those applying for admission do not intend to harm Americans or our institutions."