US EditionUS Will Begin Social Media Screening to H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants From Dec 15
All H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J visa applicants must make social media profiles public for national security checks, causing interview delays up to five months, officials said.
- Starting December 15, the State Department will expand `online presence review` to all H‑1B, H‑4, F, M, and J visa applicants, instructing them to set social media to `public` for vetting, a spokesperson said.
- The policy builds on President Donald Trump's proclamation requiring employers to pay `$100,000 t` for most H‑1B filings, reflecting broader immigration and workforce priorities, the Department of Homeland Security said.
- U.S. embassies told many visa applicants their appointments were moved months ahead, with some scheduled next week pushed to late May and a Chennai consular post appointment auto-rescheduled to April 30, 2026.
- Employers, recruiters and HR teams now face new compliance work to scan visa applicants' online presence, while the mass cancellations are expected to cause significant delays and many applicants post anonymously about their ordeals.
- Seen together, the measures position social‑media screening as a permanent part of visa adjudication, with the State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services expanding reviews that will affect many Indian H‑1B beneficiaries.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Firstpost News
NDTVUS will begin social media screening to H-1B and H-4 visa applicants from Dec 15
The Trump administration will begin on Monday enhanced screening and vetting of H1B and its dependent H4 visa applicants, including checks of their social media profiles.
New US Visa Rule: US Expands Online Presence Checks for H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants
The United States has expanded its review of social media and online presence to cover all H-1B speciality occupation workers and their H-4 dependents, the US Embassy in India said on Wednesday. The move comes as several applicants in India received emails informing them that their visa appointments had been rescheduled. New US Visa Rule: US Expands Online Presence Checks for H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants.
US to begin social media screening of H-1B, H-4 visa applicants from Dec 15
New York/Washington, Dec 14 (PTI) The Trump administration will begin on Monday enhanced screening and vetting of H-1B and its dependent H-4 visa applicants, including checks of their social media profiles. In a new order, the State Department said that from December 15, a review of the online presence for all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be conducted. Students and exchange visitors were already subject to this review and now the de…
Searchlight
stvincenttimes.comUS Embassy announces new social media requirement for visa applicants
THE US EMBASSY in Port of Spain announced on December 10 that individuals applying for H1-B and H4 non-immigrant visas must now adjust their social media accounts to public settings to facilitate screening. “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an H1‑B or H4 non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity a…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources are Center, 40% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
