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The move brings foreign media representatives and certain professionals and their dependants under the expanded social media screening process.<\/p>\n
What changes for US visa applicants from October 1?<\/strong><\/p>\n From October 1, the US State Department will extend its online presence review to applicants in three additional nonimmigrant visa categories \u2014 I, TN and TD.<\/p>\n Which US visa categories are covered?<\/strong><\/p>\n The new requirement applies to:<\/p>\n I visa:<\/strong> This is the US visa category for representatives of foreign media, including eligible members of the foreign press, radio and other media organisations.<\/p>\n TN visa:<\/strong> This category is for qualifying Canadian and Mexican professionals seeking temporary entry to the US under the USMCA.<\/p>\n TD visa:<\/strong> This category covers eligible spouses and dependent children of TN visa holders.<\/p>\n Why the I visa change matters to journalists<\/strong><\/p>\n The I visa is specifically meant for foreign media representatives. This means eligible journalists and other media employees travelling to the US under the I classification will be included in the expanded online presence review from October 1.<\/p>\n The requirement is based on the visa category and is not specific to Indian applicants. However, it is relevant to Indian journalists who qualify for an I visa for professional media work in the US.<\/p>\n What does the social media screening require?<\/strong><\/p>\n Applicants for I, TN and TD visas must set the privacy settings of their social media profiles to \u201cpublic\u201d or \u201copen\u201d.<\/p>\n The State Department says it uses available information as part of visa screening and vetting. The department says this is used to identify applicants who may be inadmissible, including those considered a national security or public safety concern, and to assess whether applicants meet the requirements of the visa they are seeking.<\/p>\n The September 18 announcement does not provide a specific list of posts, keywords or individual social media platforms that consular officers will examine.<\/p>\n Will social media activity automatically lead to visa rejection?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not necessarily.<\/p>\n The online presence review is part of the wider visa screening and adjudication process. The State Department says available information is considered when assessing an applicant’s eligibility and admissibility.<\/p>\n The October 1 announcement does not state that a particular social media post will automatically result in a visa refusal.<\/p>\n Which US visas already have social media screening?<\/strong><\/p>\n The October 1 expansion follows earlier additions to the online presence review.<\/p>\n The State Department currently lists several categories already subject to the review, including F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, J-2, H-1B, H-3, H-4, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T and U, as well as certain diplomatic and official visa categories such as A-3, C-3 domestic workers and G-5 applicants.<\/p>\n The department had expanded the review further in March 2026 to cover several of these categories, including H-3, H-4 dependants of H-3 applicants, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2 and S, T and U visas.<\/p>\n What should I, TN and TD applicants, know?<\/strong><\/p>\n For applicants in these three categories, the main change takes effect on October 1, 2026. They will be expected to keep their social media profiles set to \u201cpublic\u201d or \u201copen\u201d as part of the expanded online presence review.<\/p>\n The State Department says the broader vetting process is intended to assess visa applicants for eligibility and admissibility, including national security and public safety concerns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Applicants in these categories have been instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to \u201cpublic\u201d or \u201copen\u201d to facilitate the vetting process.<\/p>\n