WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: The United States is set to reopen visa interviews for international students and exchange visitors—but with a significant new requirement that has sparked concern. Applicants for F, M, and J category non-immigrant visas will now be subject to a comprehensive review of their social media profiles, which must be made public for government scrutiny.
This policy follows a temporary pause in interviews implemented by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) in late May to allow time for new enhanced social media screening procedures to be introduced. In a brief statement issued Wednesday night, the DOS confirmed that the new vetting process will be applied to all international student and exchange visitor visa applicants.
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the U.S., including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the DOS stated. “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 classifications. To facilitate this vetting, all applicants will be instructed to set the privacy settings on their social media profiles to public.”
Federal agencies have reiterated a long-standing stance that “a U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” emphasizing that all applicants must credibly demonstrate their eligibility and intent to abide by the terms of their visa. The statement underscores a continuing focus on national security and applicant integrity, noting: “The U.S. must be vigilant to ensure that those applying for admission do not intend to harm Americans or national interests.”
The visa pause and policy shift have caused confusion and anxiety among students. Many are now worried about how past or current social media activity—even silence—might be interpreted. A student from Pune who had deleted her social media accounts out of caution said her immigration attorney later warned her that having no online presence at all could raise suspicion. “It could indicate I have something to hide,” she told TOI.
The new rules come amid a climate of heightened scrutiny following incidents like that of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian PhD student at Columbia University, who left the U.S. for Canada after her student visa was revoked due to alleged campus activism in March. Since then, numerous F-1 visas and SEVIS records have reportedly been revoked for a range of reasons—some, immigration lawyers say, as minor as traffic violations.
In April, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that antisemitic activity on social media or physical harassment of Jewish individuals could now serve as grounds for denial of immigration benefits. That change applies to applicants for permanent residency, students, and individuals affiliated with institutions accused of antisemitism.
Immigration experts warn that the requirement to make social media accounts public introduces ambiguity and raises privacy concerns. Rajiv S. Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com, said, “Consular officers will screen for ‘hostility’ toward U.S. citizens, culture, or institutions. But there’s no clarity on what constitutes hostility. The criteria are vague and open-ended, which raises serious questions about fairness and consistency.”
Cyrus Mehta, a New York-based immigration attorney, described the move as “authoritarian and even creepy,” arguing it could suppress free speech—an essential element of the academic environment international students come to the U.S. to experience.
As of 2024, the U.S. hosted around 1.58 million international students, with Indians making up the largest share at approximately 420,000. However, experts say such developments are contributing to a noticeable decline in the number of international students expressing interest in studying in the United States.
