New US Visa Rules: Social Media Privacy to be Adjusted

Prospective US visa holders now face a new requirement: making their social media accounts public. The U.S. Embassy in India stated that those seeking F, M, or J non-immigrant visas must change their privacy settings. This is part of a stricter vetting process to strengthen security measures. The US government’s ongoing practice of requesting social media details since 2019 is a critical part of their scrutiny process. The goal is to identify individuals who might pose a security risk. While India isn’t currently on the list of countries facing travel restrictions, Indian visa applicants continue to experience substantial waiting times due to high application volumes and administrative backlogs.