On June 18, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) instructed consulates worldwide to implement a mandatory expansion of social media vetting for all F, M, and J visa applicants (students and exchange visitors).
What employers need to know:
- Applicants must have their social media profiles set to “public”. If they do not, it appears they will be put into administrative processing
- Consulates have been instructed to adjust visa appointment availability consistent with the additional vetting/workload
- Consulates have been instructed to prioritize J-1 physicians and F-1 interviews from schools that have less than 15% in F-1 population
The guidance instructs consulates to implement the new vetting procedures “within five business days”. The fifth business day following June 18 would be June 26, 2025.
Vetting criteria include:
- Inconsistencies between vetting results and how applicant presented
- Activity that may indicate an inadmissibility
- Unlawful employment or other indications of engaging in administration-proscribed behavior
- Activity leading to an inquiry and determination of “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences; specific examples include when an individual:
- expresses hostile attitudes toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the US
- advocates for, aids, or supports designated foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security
- expresses support for or perpetrates unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence
[View source.]
