The United States continues to adjust the parameters for granting visas to those who want to study in its territory. In recent weeks, some processes had been frozen, and now the new rules have been made official. These rules will add a more in-depth review of social media to traditional controls.
“Under the new guidelines, we will conduct a comprehensive check, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in nonimmigrant classifications,” the State Department stated. As such, applicants must have their profiles open. “To facilitate this check, all nonimmigrant visa applicants will be instructed to set the privacy of their social media profiles to “public,” the institution added.
The measure covers all applicants for the following visa types:
F for Academic Student: for full-time students in university programs.
M for Technical and Vocational Studies: focused on faster training plans and options such as art, cooking, or aviation training.
J for Cultural and Educational Exchange: travel permit to the U.S. for cultural, educational, or professional exchange stays.
Each visa is a national security decision
“Each visa is a national security decision.” “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the State Department says regarding permits. “We use all available information in our visa evaluation and verification to identify applicants inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” they added.
Regarding authorizations for students, they indicate that scheduling of applications for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will resume soon. The recommendation is that those interested be attentive to each consulate to check appointment availability.
