U.S. State Department Resumes Student Visa Interviews, Give New Social Media Review Requirements
The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that it is resuming the previously halted processing of student visa applications for international applicants. However, a new policy now requires all candidates to make their social media accounts accessible for government scrutiny.
Consular officials will review applicants’ online activity, searching for any content or communications that might be considered antagonistic toward the United States, its government, cultural values, institutions, or foundational ideals.
In an official statement released Wednesday, the department confirmed it has reversed its suspension on student visa processing from May. However, it emphasized that applicants who decline to adjust their social media profiles to public settings for review risk having their visa applications denied. Refusal to comply may be interpreted as an attempt to conceal online behavior or avoid screening.
“Consular officers will now perform detailed and comprehensive checks on all student and exchange visitor visa candidates,” the statement said. To support this process, applicants must modify their social media privacy settings to public, allowing thorough vetting. This new measure aims to strengthen the screening of every individual seeking entry to the U.S.
Internal instructions to consular staff highlight the need to identify “any signs of hostility towards the American people, culture, government, institutions, or core principles.”
