New U.S. Visa Rule Requires Applicants to Set Social Media Account Privacy to Public

Jun 24, 2025Ravie LakshmananSocial Media / Privacy

The United States Embassy in India has announced that applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas should make their social media accounts public.

The new guideline seeks to help officials verify the identity and eligibility of applicants under U.S. law. The U.S. Embassy said every visa application review is a “national security decision.”

“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested 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,” the embassy said in a post on X.

Under the new rules, Indian students and others planning to pursue academia or enroll in vocational or exchange programs are mandated to ensure that their social media profiles are set to public before submitting their visa applications. A refusal to set the accounts to “public” could be grounds for rejection.

The embassy noted that the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms since 2019.

It also said every piece of “available” information is used as part of its visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are deemed inadmissible to the country, including those who pose a threat to its national security. However, it did not spell out what these steps would look for.

Similar directives have been issued by other U.S. embassies across the world, with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico stating that visa applicants must list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years.

The development comes weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ordered embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas to expand social media vetting of such applicants. Last week, the U.S. Department of State said it’s resuming the process, but with new measures that require applicants to unlock their social media accounts for government review.

“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,” the department said.

Upgrade your audio game with the Logitech for Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone. With over 33,730 ratings and an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars, it’s no wonder this is an Amazon’s Choice product. Recently, 5K+ units were purchased in the past month.

Available in five stunning colors: Teal, Silver, Pink Dawn, Midnight Blue, and Blackout, this microphone is perfect for creators looking to produce exceptional audio. Priced at only $84.99, it’s a deal you can’t afford to miss.

Elevate your recordings with clear broadcast-quality sound and explore your creativity with enhanced effects, advanced modulation, and HD audio samples. Order now for just $84.99 on Amazon!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!