With the new educational season in the US starting next month, all international students applying to study in the country will need to keep their social media profiles not only for visa, but during its validity period – under influence, to keep public during their entire study course.
“All students and exchange visa visa applicants (F, M and J Visa classes) are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all individual social media profiles, so that they can get the facility of waiting to establish the applicant’s acceptance in the United States.”
The spokesperson said, “From the time of each application, through the adjournment of the visa, and later each released visa safety veating runs during the validity period, to ensure that the person is eligible to travel to the United States, the spokesperson said.
Last month, the embassy cited “public safety and national security” in the visa process, compulsory for those applying to study in the US to make their social media profiles public.
The FI category visa in the US refers to F -1 student visa, which means for international students who want to do educational studies in an American institution, while M Visa (M -1) is a non -migrant visa for individuals
Chasing professional or other non -educational studies. J-1 enables foreign nationals to enter the US, to teach, study, research or obtain on job training for a period of a few weeks to several years.
In 2023–24, Indian students formed the largest group of international students in the US with 3.31 lakh enrollment. According to state department data, in the financial year 2024, the US issued a visa of 4,00,737 f 1, 6,322 m-1 and 3,22,820 J-1.
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In May, the Donald Trump administration had asked American embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas as it expanded the investigation of the social media posts of the applicants following extensive protests against the Israeli bombing in Gaza.
At that time, the Indian Express had reported that the decision was preparing to start their studies in the US among Indian students and who were already nominated in American universities. Many of these students had said that they were reviewing their digital footprints to secure their educational future.
On 18 June, the State Department announced to resume the student visa interview. “Our foreign positions will be resumed soon to schedule F, M and J non-immigrant visa applications. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability,” said this.
Saying that “US Visa is a privilege, not an right”, it was said: “We use all available information in our visa screening and veting to identify the visa applicants, which are inadvertently for the US, including them, including the US National Security. Under the new guidance, we will involve a communal and fully visions.
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According to the embassy, the rule is mandatory for all countries and, since 2019, the US requires visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications.
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