The United States has announced a major policy change for non-immigrant visa applicants, tightening its vetting system by introducing mandatory social media screening for all H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents. The new rule, which comes into effect on December 15, requires applicants to switch their social media profiles to a public setting to support the review process.
In a directive issued on Wednesday, the US State Department stated, “To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public.’”
Reiterating that a US visa is “a privilege and not a right,” the department said each case is assessed as a national security decision. Officers will now rely on all available information—including online activity—to evaluate admissibility and identify potential risks. The move has triggered concerns among Indian professionals, who represent one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.
Jaishankar responds to new US visa measures
Addressing questions in Parliament, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that visa issuance is a sovereign decision of the United States. “The issuance of visas is a sovereign right of a government,” he said, according to PTI.
He noted that Washington has explicitly stated its intention to expand digital vetting. “Wherever it came to our attention… the consulates and embassies have intervened where possible,” he said, adding that India has urged the US to ensure minor violations or inconsistencies do not result in severe penalties.
Part of broader immigration tightening under Trump
This directive follows a series of stricter immigration measures introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration. In September, a proclamation titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers imposed a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas—an order that could significantly affect Indian applicants.
In a parallel action, the US has suspended green card, citizenship, and other immigration processes for nationals of 19 “countries of concern” after a shooting in Washington DC that left US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom dead and a US Air Force sergeant critically injured. The accused, Lakanwal, 29, had entered the US through Operation Allies Welcome, a programme created for Afghan nationals after the 2021 Taliban takeover.
A USCIS memo has since instructed officials to place all asylum applications from these countries on hold pending a comprehensive review. The list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and others previously under US travel restrictions.
