The United States embassy has issued a directive urging all applicants for F, M, and J category nonimmigrant visas to ensure their social media profiles are set to public.

The visa categories are commonly granted for academic study, vocational training, and cultural exchange programmes.

The move is aimed at enhancing the vetting process required to verify applicants’ identities and determine their eligibility for entry into the United States under American immigration law.

According to the embassy, the visibility of social media activity plays a crucial role in background checks. Applicants are advised that any online content perceived to glorify terrorism, justify ethnic cleansing, or condone acts of violence for political or religious purposes may significantly undermine their chances of securing a visa.

The embassy reiterated that transparency on digital platforms is now a key component of the broader security assessment framework, and applicants are expected to comply fully to avoid delays or denials in the visa process.

The statement on its official immigration site reads,

“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to ‘public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States”.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has clarified that the measure is essential to facilitate comprehensive background checks, enabling officials to verify applicants’ identities and assess their admissibility under U.S. immigration law.

Officials have warned that failure to comply with this requirement could adversely affect not only current visa applications but also any future attempts to enter the United States.

The embassy emphasised that transparency in digital activity is now a critical component of the visa vetting process. (BusinessDay)