Statsguru: Indian students caught in crosshairs of tighter US visa rules

Indians and Chinese have consistently accounted for the biggest proportion of F1 student visas

The US Department of State on June 18 released a directive requiring visa applicants to adjust their social media privacy settings from private to public. This was to help the department assess whether those entering the US posed any threat to the country. A similar advisory was republished on June 30 by the US Embassy and consulates in India, raising concern, particularly among Indian students, as the guideline could potentially lead to visa denials if applicants were flagged during the screening process. Between FY16 and FY25, 1 million to 1.3 million non-immigrant Indians – those travelling on a temporary basis