NEW DELHI: In a major overhaul of its visa screening process, the US embassy has advised all applicants for F, M, or J non-immigrant visas to set their personal social media accounts to public visibility, effective immediately. The policy, aimed at strengthening national security protocols, is designed to enhance identity verification and assist consular officers in determining applicants’ admissibility under US immigration law. F visas are intended for academic students attending US colleges, universities, or language training programmes; M visas cover non-academic or vocational study; and J visas are reserved for individuals participating in exchange programmes, including, research scholars, and cultural exchange participants. The US Embassy in India posted on X: “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.” Making social media accounts public became mandatory for vetting processes since 2019.Officials reiterated that all available information, including online presence, is used in visa screening to detect potential threats. The US State Department temporarily paused the issuance of student visas as it developed new social media screening guidelines on May-end.
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