Making your profile public key to student visa? US sets new rule for university applicants

All applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant US visas intended for students will need to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public,’ the State Department announced in a release on Saturday (June 21). The US visa is "a privilege, not a right", and its screening does not stop after a visa has been issued and authorities may revoke it if one breaks the law, it said.

"We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security. Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications," the US State Department said.

The order to all applicants to change their social media profiles to a "public" setting will allow vetting of the candidates, it said.

"Our overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J non-immigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability. Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

"The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission," the State Department said.

A few weeks back, The US Embassy in India in post on X said, “The United States continues to welcome legitimate travelers to our country. However, there is no right to visit the United States. We cannot and will not tolerate illegal entry, abuse of visas, or the violation of U.S. law.” On Monday (June 9), an Indian student was handcuffed and brutally pinned to the ground by officials at the Newark airport in the United States and deported back to India like a “criminal”, claimed a social media user who shared videos and pictures of the incident.

The disturbing video that showed the Indian student pinned to the floor was shared on social media by Indian-American entrepreneur Kunal Jain, who said that the youngster was crying and was treated like a “criminal” by authorities.

Jain called on the Indian Embassy in the United States to look into the incident and help the student. “I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night— handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal,” he wrote on X. “He came chasing dreams, not causing harm. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” added Jain, president of HealthBots AI.