As of October 21, 2026, visa social media vetting covers many of the temporary visa categories skilled immigrants use. US consulates run an "online presence review" on F, M, J, H-1B and H-4 applicants, and since October 1, 2026, on TN, TD and I applicants too (MIT International Students Office). Applicants in these categories are told to set the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to "public" or "open" (MIT International Students Office).
This review sits on top of an older requirement. Since 2019, the State Department's visa application forms have asked nearly all applicants for the social media account names they used over the previous five years, according to the Associated Press (AP via Fox Business, June 1, 2019). For temporary visas, that form is the DS-160 (83 FR 13807, GovInfo).
- Online presence review has applied to F, M and J visa applicants since late June 2025.
- H-1B and H-4 visa applicants have been covered since December 15, 2025.
- A March 30, 2026 expansion added A-3, C-3 (domestic workers), G-5, H-3, K, Q, R, S, T and U applicants.
- TN, TD and I visa applicants have been covered since October 1, 2026, under a September 18, 2026 State Department announcement.
- Covered applicants are told to set the privacy settings on all social media profiles to public or open.
- Since 2019, nearly all visa applicants, including DS-160 nonimmigrant visa applicants, have had to list five years of social media identifiers.
- Canadian citizens who do not need a visa stamp are generally not affected by the TN and TD expansion.
What is visa social media vetting, and who does it apply to now?
The State Department has rolled out the review in four rounds. The March 2026 row comes from the State Department's own announcement; the other dates come from university international offices that summarized each State Department announcement.
| Visa categories | Covered since | Status on October 21, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| F, M, J (students and exchange visitors) | Late June 2025 | In force |
| H-1B and H-4 | December 15, 2025 (announced December 3, 2025) | In force |
| A-3, C-3 (domestic workers), G-5, H-3, H-4 dependents of H-3, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, U | March 30, 2026 | In force |
| TN, TD, I (foreign media) | October 1, 2026 (announced September 18, 2026) | In force |
| DS-160 social media identifiers, five years | 2019 | In force, nearly all applicants |
Sources: the State Department's announcement (last updated March 25, 2026) for the March 30, 2026 row (Department of State, archived copy); Vanderbilt ISSS for the first three rows and the I, TN and TD expansion (Vanderbilt University ISSS, September 22, 2026); MIT for the December 3 and September 18 announcement dates (MIT ISSO, December 4, 2025; MIT ISO); the Associated Press for the DS-160 row (AP via Fox Business).
O-1, L-1, E and B applicants do not appear on the list of covered categories that Vanderbilt ISSS gives (Vanderbilt University ISSS). They still answer the DS-160 social media question (AP via Fox Business).
The DS-160 question was proposed in a 2018 Federal Register notice:
"One question lists multiple social media platforms and requires the applicant to provide any identifiers used by applicants for those platforms during the five years preceding the date of application." Department of State, 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Application for Nonimmigrant Visa, 83 FR 13807 (March 30, 2018)
What do consular officers check in a visa social media review?
A visa applicant's online presence includes social media accounts and activity, and information in online databases and websites, according to Vanderbilt's international office (Vanderbilt University ISSS). In practice, that means more than the accounts you list on the DS-160.
The State Department has not published a list of disqualifying content. When it extended the review to H-1B applicants, it said it uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify applicants who are inadmissible, and that "every visa adjudication is a national security decision," according to the Press Trust of India (PTI via The Tribune, December 15, 2025).
The University of Hawaii's international office told its H-1B employees that consular officers will be looking for content that may suggest (University of Hawaii at Manoa FSIS, December 5, 2025):
- hostility toward the United States' citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles;
- advocacy or support for designated foreign terrorists or other national security threats;
- the potential to steal technical information, exploit US research and development, or spread false information;
- a history of political activism and the likelihood of continuing it in the US.
That list closely tracks the June 2025 State Department cable on student visas. According to Reuters, the cable told officers to identify applicants who "bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles" (Reuters via The Jakarta Post, June 19, 2025).
Do social media profiles have to be public for a visa interview?
Yes, for the covered categories. H-1B and H-4 applicants are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to "public," the same instruction already given to F, M and J applicants (MIT ISSO; PTI via The Tribune). TN, TD and I applicants received the same instruction from October 1, 2026, with the wording "public" or "open" (MIT ISO).
Keeping accounts private carries its own risk. The June 2025 student cable warned that "limited access to [...] online presence could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity," according to Reuters (Reuters via The Jakarta Post).
If the review turns up something the government sees as derogatory, Vanderbilt expects that more extensive security screening may be triggered, with longer delays and possible visa refusal (Vanderbilt University ISSS). That is an expectation from an international office, not a published State Department standard.
Should you delete old posts or accounts before applying?
This is a question for your attorney, not a cleanup project to do alone. The DS-160 asks for identifiers you used over the past five years, not only the accounts you have today (83 FR 13807, GovInfo). Deleting an account does not remove it from that five-year window, and an application that does not match what an officer can find raises a far bigger problem than an old post. We cover that risk in what a misrepresentation actually costs.
MIT's international office gives students more specific advice: it recommends keeping accounts public and visible to immigration officials, and suggests considering removal of sensitive political material (MIT ISO FAQ). Whether that suits your situation is a judgement for your attorney.
Does TN social media vetting apply to Canadians?
Generally not. The October 1, 2026 expansion does not apply to Canadian citizens who do not apply for US entry visa stamps (MIT ISO). The regulation explains why. A Mexican TN professional needs a visa; a Canadian applies at the border:
"A citizen of Canada seeking temporary entry as a business person to engage in business activities at a professional level shall make application for admission with a Department officer at the United States Class A port-of-entry, at a United States airport handling international traffic, or at a United States pre-clearance/pre-flight station." 8 CFR 214.6(d)(2)
Mexican citizens are admitted as TN professionals on presentation of a valid passport and a valid TN nonimmigrant visa, so they go through a consulate and are covered by the review (8 CFR 214.6(d)(1), eCFR).
TD family members need a closer look. Spouses and unmarried minor children of TN workers must present a valid TD visa unless exempt under 8 CFR 212.1 (8 CFR 214.6(j)(2), eCFR). That exemption covers Canadian citizens, for whom a visa is generally not required (8 CFR 212.1(a)(1), eCFR). So a Canadian TN worker's spouse who is, for example, an Indian citizen needs a TD visa from a consulate and falls within the review. If you are on TN and thinking longer term, our guide to moving from TN or E-2 to a green card covers the intent issues.
How has vetting affected H-1B visa appointments?
The first weeks were disruptive. Bloomberg Law reported on December 9, 2025 that H-1B and H-4 interviews in India scheduled from mid to late December were being pushed back, in some cases as late as the following summer, with consulate emails citing the Chennai consulate reducing its daily applicant numbers (Bloomberg Law, December 9, 2025). Biometric appointments were not affected, and the US Embassy in India warned that arriving at a previously scheduled time "will result in your being denied admittance" (Bloomberg Law).
The same report noted that H-1B workers renewing visa stamps could not move to a consulate outside India, because of a September 2025 policy limiting interviews to applicants' home country of nationality or residence (Bloomberg Law). On December 26, 2025, India's Ministry of External Affairs said it had raised the cancelled interviews with the US in New Delhi and Washington, according to Scroll (Scroll.in, December 27, 2025).
Visa stamping is only one of the moving parts for H-1B workers this year; the status of the $100,000 H-1B fee is another.
What this means for you
The review is now a standard part of a consular visa application in many of the categories skilled immigrants use. It adds time, and a new way for an application to stall.
- Confirm whether your visa category is on the covered list above.
- List every social media identifier from the past five years on the DS-160, including accounts you no longer use.
- Set the privacy settings on all profiles to public before you apply, as instructed for covered categories.
- Check that your LinkedIn job history and public profiles match your petition and DS-160.
- Build extra time into travel plans for rescheduled appointments.
- Raise anything you are unsure about, including old posts, with your attorney before you file the DS-160.
For people who travel often, every new visa stamp now carries this extra step, which is one more reason to plan a realistic H-1B to green card timeline.
Where to start
If you want to know whether a green card route such as EB-1A or EB-2 NIW fits your profile, start with the free evaluation at /evaluate/. Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, finds real opportunities for the criteria you are missing. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked October 21, 2026.
- Department of State: Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants, archived copy (last updated March 25, 2026). March 30, 2026 expansion to A-3, C-3, G-5, H-3, K, Q, R, S, T and U applicants; "public" or "open" instruction.
- MIT International Students Office: TN and TD Visa Applicants Subject to Expanded State Department Screening Starting October 1, 2026 (2026). September 18, 2026 announcement, October 1 start, "public" or "open" instruction, Canadian exemption.
- Vanderbilt University ISSS: Starting October 1, State Department Will Expand Online Presence Review to TN, TD, and I Visa Applicants (September 22, 2026). Covered categories and dates, definition of online presence, expected consequences.
- MIT ISSO: Expanded Screening of H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants Starting December 15, 2025 (December 4, 2025). December 3 announcement, December 15 start, "public" instruction.
- University of Hawaii at Manoa FSIS: Expanded Online Presence Review for H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants (December 5, 2025). Content officers look for.
- MIT ISO FAQ: How do the new social media screening rules affect students' F/M/J visa interviews? (undated). Advice for students on public accounts and political material.
- PTI via The Tribune: US to begin social media screening of H-1B, H-4 visa applicants from December 15 (December 15, 2025). State Department statement on vetting and the "public" instruction for H-1B, H-4, F, M and J applicants.
- Reuters via The Jakarta Post: Trump administration tightens social media vetting for foreign students (June 19, 2025). June 2025 cable language.
- Bloomberg Law: H-1B Visa Interviews Delayed in India Amid Social Media Review (December 9, 2025). Rescheduled interviews, embassy warning, home-country interview policy.
- Scroll.in: India conveys concerns to US about cancellation of H-1B visa interviews (December 27, 2025). Indian government response.
- AP via Fox Business: US now seeking social media details from all visa applicants (June 1, 2019). DS-160 social media identifiers in effect.
- Department of State, 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Application for Nonimmigrant Visa, 83 FR 13807 (March 30, 2018). Five-year social media identifier question; DS-160 is the nonimmigrant visa form.
- 8 CFR 214.6, eCFR (current). TN admission for Mexican and Canadian citizens; TD visa requirement.
- 8 CFR 212.1, eCFR (current). Canadian visa exemption.
Frequently asked questions
Do my social media accounts have to be public for an H-1B or F-1 visa interview?
Yes. Since December 15, 2025, H-1B and H-4 applicants have been instructed, like F, M and J applicants before them, to set the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to public. The instruction applies to visa applications at US embassies and consulates abroad, and from October 1, 2026 it also covers TN, TD and I visa applicants.
Does the TN social media vetting rule apply to Canadians?
Generally not. The October 1, 2026 expansion covers TN and TD applicants who apply for a visa at a US consulate. Canadian citizens usually apply for TN status directly at a port of entry without a visa, so they are generally outside it. Mexican TN professionals, who must hold a TN visa, are covered, as are non-Canadian spouses and children of Canadian TN workers who need TD visas.
What happens if a consular officer finds something negative online?
There is no published list of disqualifying content. University international offices expect that information the government sees as derogatory may trigger more extensive security screening, leading to longer delays and possible refusal. A June 2025 State Department cable on student visas, as reported by Reuters, said limited access to an applicant's online presence could be seen as an effort to hide activity.
Should I delete old social media accounts before my visa interview?
Talk to your attorney first. The DS-160 asks for social media identifiers used in the five years before you apply, so an account you delete may still need to be listed. An answer that does not match what the officer can find raises a misrepresentation question, which is far more serious than an awkward old post. Your attorney can review your accounts against your application.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
