The U.S. Department of State has instructed individuals applying for F Visas (Academic Students), M Visas (Vocational Students), and J Visas (Exchange Visitors) to adjust the privacy settings on their personal social media accounts to “public.”
This directive is intended to “facilitate the verification necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States,” according to a post from the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara this week.
Consular officers will be reviewing applicants’ social media accounts for any indications of hostility toward the United States or its citizens. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in a visa denial.
In June, an internal Department of State cable, made public, instructed consular officers to flag applicants with a history of political activism and to consider the likelihood that they would continue such activities in the United States. The cable also emphasized the need for officers to watch for signs of support for “unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.”
“Remember that every visa grant is a national security decision,” the Consulate’s post stated.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has lifted the temporary pause on scheduling new student and exchange visitor visa appointments in Mexico. In a post this week, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson commented, “Student and exchange visitor visa appointments are reopening across our embassy and consulates. As we welcome future scholars, the United States remains committed to strong vetting measures that protect our national security and ensure safe, lawful entry.”
This new measure is part of the U.S. response to recent pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, as well as efforts by the Trump administration to counter what it perceives as widespread anti-semitism and liberalism in higher education.