The United States Mission has warned visa applicants to expect increased online scrutiny as part of the visa vetting process.
In a post on X, the mission said consular officers now review publicly available online information from applicants in all countries to ensure the safety of U.S. citizens and visitors.
This comes as the U.S. government recently expanded its screening procedures to include detailed social media checks. Applicants are required to provide their social media handles and online activity from the past five years and to disable privacy settings to allow full access.
According to the State Department, the enhanced vetting aims to uphold national security and public safety. The new guidelines require thorough online presence checks for all F, M, and J visa applicants, including students and exchange visitors.
