Student visa candidates must share social media: The U.S. Embassy

• U.S. Embassy announces that Indian students, vocational students, and exchange visitors seeking U.S. visas must convert their social media profiles to “public” state for identity and admissibility verification.
• The Embassy cannot guarantee Indian students will secure a visa interview slot this summer.
• The change is effective immediately for all individuals applying for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas.
• The move follows recent penalties for international students in U.S. academic institutions for remarks about international conflicts.
• India and the U.S. have been in consultation since the Donald Trump administration’s arrival to streamline visa and citizenship issues.
• The changes and social media profile screening are expected to affect Indian students’ social media behavior on U.S. campuses.