Privacy settings to 'public': Trump tightens H-1B screening; social media checks from December 15

The Trump administration announced on Sunday that starting December 15, enhanced screening and social media vetting will be implemented for all H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents in the United States, extending measures already in place for students and exchange visitors.The State Department issued a new directive requiring all H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependent visa holders to make their social media profiles public for review during the vetting process.The State Department said: "To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public'."This new requirement has already impacted visa processing, with several H-1B holders having their interviews rescheduled in India to accommodate the social media vetting process.The F, M, and J visa categories, which are used by students and exchange visitors to enter the US, were already subject to these screening measures.The State Department emphasised: "We conduct thorough vetting of all visa applicants, including online presence review of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications."

The department stressed that obtaining a US visa is a privilege rather than a right, and they utilise all available information to identify inadmissible applicants, including those who might pose security or safety risks.The State Department affirmed that every visa decision is considered a national security matter.This enhanced screening initiative represents the latest measure in the Trump administration's intensified focus on immigration regulations.