The US Embassy in India has urged all student visa applicants to make their social media profiles public, citing enhanced background checks as part of the visa process. The announcement comes days after the US State Department resumed processing of student visa applications, which had been temporarily suspended.
“Effective immediately, F, M, and J visa applicants must adjust their social media privacy settings to public to help establish identity and admissibility under US law,” the Embassy posted on X.
Social media vetting involves officials scanning platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X to flag anti-US sentiments or content deemed hostile towards American institutions or culture.
While this move is being framed as a national security measure, critics view it as part of former President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on international students and immigrants. The Trump administration had previously halted new student visa applications, citing fraud and security concerns.
US officials maintain that collecting social media data helps prevent inadmissible individuals, including those posing national security risks, from entering the country.
The directive applies to F visas (academic students), M visas (vocational students), and J visas (exchange visitors), tightening scrutiny on those aspiring to study or participate in cultural exchanges in the US.
