U.S. Resumes Student Visa Processing
(MENAFN) The United States revealed on Wednesday that it has restarted handling student visa requests from international applicants.
This resumption comes with a new condition—individuals must now grant access to their social media platforms for formal examination.
The State Department has officially lifted the suspension, which was implemented in May, and issued updated instructions to U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.
These guidelines require officials to examine the "entire online presence" of candidates applying for both student and exchange visas.
From now on, applicants must ensure that their social media accounts are publicly accessible. Having limited or private profiles might be interpreted as an effort to obscure digital activity.
According to the department, visa officers will closely inspect posts, comments, or messages that could be seen as antagonistic toward the U.S., its leadership, national identity, societal institutions, or core values.
This policy applies equally to first-time and returning applicants. Consular officials must evaluate the individual’s complete digital activity, including content from social networks, search histories, publicly available internet data, and any other referenceable databases.
Just a month earlier, the Trump administration had ordered U.S. embassies to halt new student visa interviews while deliberating a proposal that would make social media checks obligatory for all foreign students.
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