Claim via Social Media
In June 2025, viral posts claimed the U.S. government implemented a new policy requiring nonimmigrant visa applicants to make their social media profiles public for screening purposes.
Explanation
This claim is true. On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced enhanced screening procedures for nonimmigrant visa applicants — specifically F, M, and J visas — requiring them to list all social media usernames used over the past five years and to set those profiles to “public.”
The policy, which applies to applicants completing the DS-160 visa application form, is part of a broader national security effort. According to the State Department, “every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” and public social media accounts allow for “comprehensive and thorough vetting.”
U.S. embassies in India and South Africa echoed the directive in Facebook posts on June 26, warning that failure to disclose social media information could result in visa denial and future ineligibility.
Critics on social media likened the requirement to surveillance and even historical oppression, but the policy is official and currently in effect.
Conclusion
Fact or Fiction? Fact. U.S. embassies now require nonimmigrant visa applicants to list their social media handles from the past five years and set those profiles to “public” as part of expanded vetting measures.
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