By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The United States government has announced the resumption of student and exchange visitor visa processing, with a new directive requiring all applicants to make their social media profiles public for vetting.
In a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State on Wednesday, authorities said applicants for F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) nonimmigrant visas will now undergo more rigorous screening, which includes a review of their online presence.
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify applicants who may be inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to national security,” the statement said. “Under the new guidance, we will conduct comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J classifications.”
To aid the process, the department said all applicants will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public.”
Reiterating the seriousness of the process, the statement emphasized that a U.S. visa is “a privilege, not a right,” and visa adjudications are ultimately national security decisions.
This new directive follows an earlier suspension of student visa processing in May, ordered by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Department noted that overseas embassies and consulates will soon resume scheduling appointments and advised applicants to check the websites of their respective local U.S. embassies for updates.
