The United States Embassy in India has introduced a new guideline for applicants seeking F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, mandating that they set their social media accounts to public. This move is aimed at assisting officials in verifying the identity and eligibility of applicants, as every visa application is considered a "national security decision."
Effective immediately, individuals applying for these visa categories are urged to adjust their privacy settings on all personal social media accounts to "public." This change is essential for the necessary vetting process to confirm the applicant’s identity and admissibility to the United States. The embassy emphasized that failing to comply with this requirement could result in the rejection of the visa application.
For context, the U.S. has been asking visa applicants to provide their social media identifiers since 2019, as part of a comprehensive review process that utilizes all available information to screen applicants. This includes identifying those who might pose a security risk to the country.
Similar regulations have rolled out across various U.S. embassies globally. For instance, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico has instructed visa applicants to list their social media usernames for platforms they have used in the past five years.
This guideline follows an order from the previous U.S. administration for embassies worldwide to halt student visa appointments while enhancing social media vetting procedures. Recently, the U.S. Department of State confirmed it would be reinitiating the visa appointment process, albeit with stricter measures requiring applicants to unlock their social media accounts for government scrutiny.
The Department underscored the importance of maintaining vigilance during the visa issuance process to ensure that applicants do not pose a threat to American citizens or interests.
Welcome to DediRock, your trusted partner in high-performance hosting solutions. At DediRock, we specialize in providing dedicated servers, VPS hosting, and cloud services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses and individuals alike. Our mission is to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure hosting solutions that empower our clients to achieve their digital goals. With a commitment to exceptional customer support, cutting-edge technology, and robust infrastructure, DediRock stands out as a leader in the hosting industry. Join us and experience the difference that dedicated service and unwavering reliability can make for your online presence. Launch our website.