State Dept. Asks Student Visa Applicants to Make Social Media Accounts Public


Key Factors

  • The U.S. State Division now requires scholar visa candidates to make all social media accounts public for vetting functions.
  • This measure is a part of enhanced safety and id checks, with non-public accounts probably seen as suspicious.
  • Current visa and entry coverage modifications, together with social media scrutiny, have contributed to a decline in inbound journey from Europe and Canada.

Abstract

The U.S. State Division has mandated that scholar visa candidates should make their social media accounts public to facilitate vetting for nationwide safety causes. This new requirement expands on a 2019 coverage that required social media disclosure however not public entry, and comes amid elevated scrutiny of worldwide college students’ backgrounds and actions. These heightened measures, alongside latest high-profile visa revocations and detentions, are linked to a decline in journey to the U.S. from Europe and Canada.