Many students from this region applying for U.S. visas—whether for study or tourism—are likely to have their social media activity examined by U.S. authorities.
According to a New York Times report, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued an internal directive to all diplomatic missions instructing consular officers to refer certain student and exchange visitor visa applicants to the embassy or consulate’s fraud prevention unit for a mandatory social media review.
The newspaper reports that the guidance outlines only broad criteria for potentially denying a visa. These include “a hostile attitude toward U.S. citizens or U.S. culture (including government, institutions, or founding principles).” While not explicitly stated, criticism of Israel also appears to be a factor.
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