The United States will begin checking the social media activity of additional visa applicants from October 1, including foreign journalists and certain Canadian and Mexican professionals.
The new policy applies to I visas for foreign media workers, TN visas for eligible USMCA professionals, and TD visas for their spouses and children. Applicants in these categories must set their social media accounts to “public” or “open” so they can be reviewed during the visa process.
The State Department said the screening is part of its effort to assess whether applicants are eligible to enter the US and identify potential national security or public safety concerns.
“Every visa adjudication is fundamentally a national security decision,” the department said.
The expanded checks add to social media screening already used for several visa groups, including students, temporary workers, exchange visitors and religious workers.
The move comes amid broader changes to US immigration processing. Earlier this year, the State Department suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries over concerns about potential reliance on public benefits. A federal judge ruled the suspension unlawful in August.
Immigrant visa interviews were later temporarily paused worldwide as US consular staff received additional training on financial self-sufficiency assessments.
“Whenever there are updated instructions for visa applicants or changes to visa interview appointments, embassies and consulates communicate this information directly to visa applicants,” a State Department spokesperson told Reuters.
