US Visa Applicants Must Open Social Media Accounts for Vetting

A new rule requires US visa applicants to make their social media profiles accessible to the public. The US Embassy in India announced that those applying for F, M, or J non-immigrant visas must adjust their privacy settings to public. This is part of increased security measures to examine applicants’ identities and admissibility. This builds on the existing practice of requesting social media details on visa forms. The government uses these details to identify those inadmissible to the US, focusing on security threats. Although a travel ban has been introduced for certain nations, India is exempt. However, Indian applicants continue to face extended processing times.