U.S. to screen personal social media accounts of F, M, and J category non-immigrant visa applicants
All available information will be used in the visa screening and vetting “to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security”.

The U.S. State Department has said that the overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J non-immigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability. Photo: YouTube/@USEmbassyNewDelhi

Just days after the United States announced that foreign students applying for a visa must unlock their social media accounts for government review, the U.S. government has extended this condition to all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa.


In a social media post, the U.S. Embassy in India, said that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision”, while adding that the applicants will have to “adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.”

Noting that the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms, since 2019, it added that all available information will be used in the visa screening and vetting “to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security”.

The Trump administration last month temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the U.S. while preparing to expand the screening of their activity on social media, officials said.

With regards to the information regarding visa scheduling, the U.S. State Department in a June 18, 2025 statement said that the overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J non-immigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability. 

The State Department further added: The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.

All applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant US visas—which are primarily issued to students and exchange visitors—will now have to make their social media profiles publicly visible, the US State Department announced on June 22, 2025. The move comes as part of new screening measures the United States says are necessary to strengthen national security and prevent misuse of student and exchange visas. In a statement, the department said, “We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to USYou’ve hit your limit of 5 free articles this month. Subscribe now for unlimited access.Already subscribed? Log inSubscribe to read the full story →Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plansAccess to Exclusive Premium Stories OnlineOver 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribersComplimentary Access to The New York TimesNews, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The AthleticBusiness Standard EpaperDigital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and shareCurated NewslettersInsights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inboxMarket Analysis & Investment InsightsIn-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart InvestorArchivesRepository of articles and publications dating back to 1997Ad-free ReadingUninterrupted reading experience with no sSeamless Access Across All DevicesAccess Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or appSAVE 25%Subscribe for ₹2,700 / 1 Year Connect with us on WhatsApp More From This SectionCanada's immigration system vulnerable to abuse? What IRCC report revealsAustralia, Singapore, Kenya most curious on investing; India ranks 13thUS F-1 visa interviews just got tougher: What Indian students can do rightIndian students eye Germany, but US, UK, Canada remain top study choicesBreak US law, lose student visa: USCIS warns after ₹1 cr fraud by 2 Indians


Output Format Instructions

Write a unique, plagiarism-free informational blog in UK English, with the following formatting and content rules:
Use Title as H1, subheaders as H2.
Use symbols ₹ or $ and % instead of words "rupees," "dollars," or "percent."
Avoid hyphens.
Convert all spelled-out numbers (including large ones like thousand, hundred) into numeric form.

Required Elements:
1.Slug URL: Use the blog title exactly, all lowercase, words separated by hyphens.
2.Title: Clear, keyword-rich, easy to understand.
3.Summary: Max 160 characters, including keywords and symbols (₹, $, %).
4.Category: Examples: Stock, Market Update, IPO.
5.Introduction: One simple paragraph, matching the title in tone and topic.
6.Main Content: Organise with H2 subheaders, make each section detailed and engaging, keep professional tone and keyword optimisation.
7.Insert a "Read More: !" line approximately midway through the content.
8.Conclusion: Summarise main points.
9.Disclaimer: Add exactly this text at the end:
Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities or companies mentioned are examples only and not recommendations. This is not personal or investment advice and does not intend to influence investment decisions. Readers should conduct their own research and form independent opinions.
Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all related documents carefully before investing.

Additional Notes:
Use the date format: Month day,year (e.g. April 1,2025).
The final output must not exceed 1000 words.
No analyst quotes or references.
No visible line breaks inside paragraphs.
Avoid suggestions or recommendations in the content.

i want output format in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) content with semantic tags for web page layout and display