United States expands social media screening for specific visa applicants

The United States Department of State is expanding its social media screening process for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants beginning October 1. Under the new policy, applicants in specific categories must set their social media profiles to “public” or “open” to facilitate review during the adjudication process.

The expansion specifically targets I visa applicants, which include foreign media representatives from the press, radio, film, and related information industries. Additionally, the rule covers TN visa applicants—eligible professionals from Canada and Mexico under the USMCA—as well as TD visa applicants, who are the dependents of TN professionals.

The State Department stated that these screenings are intended to assess applicant eligibility and identify potential national security or public safety concerns, noting that “every visa adjudication is fundamentally a national security decision.” While social media identifiers have been requested on most visa forms since 2019, this move mandates specific privacy setting adjustments for these newly included groups.