State Department Expands Social Media Vetting for Visa Seekers

Starting next week, the State Department will screen social media profiles for visa seekers in a slate of new categories that include religious workers and fiancé(e)s of US citizens.

The move expands on vetting of online profiles introduced by the agency last year for F-1 student visas, J-1 exchange visitor visas, and H-1B specialty occupation visas. That social media screening for H-1B visa applicants began in December and focused on individuals who had worked in fields like misinformation, fact-checking, and content moderation.

The new vetting policy, announced Wednesday, will begin March 30 and also applies to categories including the H-4 ...