US expands social media screening to 3 more visa categories from Oct 1

Foreign journalists and certain professionals from Canada and Mexico among people who will face mandatory online presence reviews under expanded rules

Foreign journalists, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement professionals and their dependants will from October 1 have to make their social media profiles public or open as part of US visa vetting

 

The US is widening its social media screening for visa applicants, bringing foreign journalists, certain Canadian and Mexican professionals, and their dependants under the online presence review from October 1, 2026.

 

The US Department of State said applicants for I, TN and TD nonimmigrant visas will be required to set the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to “public” or “open”. The change was announced in a notice updated on September 18.

 

The move is significant for Indian applicants in the media sector and others who may use these visa categories while working with US organisations or travelling to the country under eligible arrangements.

 

Which visa categories are being added?

The new screening will cover:

 

I visas: Foreign media representatives, including journalists and employees of foreign news organisations.

 

TN visas: Certain professionals from Canada and Mexico entering the US temporarily under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

 

TD visas: Spouses and unmarried dependent children of TN visa holders.

 

The State Department has instructed applicants in all three categories to make all social media profiles public or open to facilitate the vetting process.

 

This can include accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok, among others.

 

Why is the US checking social media?

The State Department said it uses all available sources of information during visa screening to identify applicants who may be inadmissible to the US, including those who could pose a national security or public safety risk. 

 

The department also said visa adjudication involves determining whether an applicant is eligible for the visa and intends to comply with the conditions of admission.

 

For applicants, this means their online presence can form part of the broader information considered during the visa process. The requirement is not limited to checking whether an applicant has a particular social media account; the department's instruction covers all social media profiles.

 

Social media screening has already expanded

 

The October 1 change is the latest stage in a broader expansion of US online presence checks.

 

The State Department had already extended such reviews to several categories. These include F-1 and M-1 students and their dependants, H-1B workers and H-4 dependants, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, as well as several other categories including H-3, K, Q, R, S, T and U visas. 

 

In December 2025, the department had announced that online presence reviews would be expanded to all H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependants, alongside students and exchange visitors already covered by the review. 

 

The department subsequently expanded the requirement again in March 2026 to several additional visa classifications. 

 

What should applicants do?

 

Applicants covered by the new rule and applying from October 1 should:

 

Check the privacy settings of all social media accounts and change them to public or open.

 

Ensure that information provided in the visa application is consistent with their online profiles.

 

Review publicly visible posts, photographs, comments and other information before applying.

 

Keep in mind that online information can be considered as part of the wider visa screening process.

 

The requirement to make profiles public does not mean that a visa will automatically be granted or refused based on a social media account. The State Department describes online presence review as one component of its broader screening and vetting process. 

 

For professionals, particularly those working with foreign media organisations, the change is another indication that US visa processing is placing greater emphasis on applicants' online presence alongside conventional eligibility and documentation checks.