U.S. Tightens Social Media Rules for Student Visa Applicants

• Jun 19, 2025

International students applying for U.S. visas will now face stricter scrutiny of their social media activity under new guidelines announced by the State Department.

In a move aimed at improving national security, the department has instructed consular officers to carefully review social media accounts of applicants for student and exchange visitor visas. Officers are directed to look for any signs of “hostility” toward the United States, including negative sentiments about its government, institutions, culture, or founding principles.

Applicants will be asked to make their social media accounts publicly viewable. According to the guidelines, failure to do so may be considered an effort to hide information, which could negatively impact the visa decision.

A senior State Department official emphasized that this is part of a broader effort to improve security screening. “We are taking every step to make sure we’re properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country,” the official said, adding that this includes those who plan to attend U.S. universities.

The policy also allows consular posts to resume visa interviews, which had been temporarily paused to update procedures for the new social media vetting process.

These changes follow a series of measures taken in recent months to increase scrutiny of online behavior. In April, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would begin considering “antisemitic activity on social media” as a potential reason to deny immigration benefits.

Following these developments, counselors who support foreign students have begun advising applicants to clean up their online profiles. Posts that could be misinterpreted or seen as controversial are being deleted to avoid raising concerns during the visa vetting process.

Last month, a State Department cable signaled plans to expand social media screening for international students. The new measures now put that plan into action, potentially affecting thousands of applicants hoping to study in the U.S.

These guidelines highlight the growing influence of digital footprints in immigration decisions and reflect how online activity is increasingly seen as a key part of the background-check process.