Starting today, the Trump administration began implementing stricter screening and vetting procedures for H-1B visa applicants and their dependents for H-4 applicants, which now include checking social media profiles.
The State Department emphasized that a US visa is a privilege rather than a right, and said it considers all available information during the visa process to identify applicants who may be inadmissible, particularly those who could threaten national security or public safety.
The State Department said it conducts comprehensive screening of all visa applicants, which includes checking the online presence of students and exchange visitors in the F, M and J nonimmigrant categories, stressing that any visa decision is ultimately a matter of national security.
He added: “The United States must be vigilant during the visa process to ensure that those applying for admission to the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly demonstrate their eligibility for the requested visa, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the conditions of their admission.”
Social Media Screening of H-1B Visa Holders: What to Expect?
The online presence of all H-1B visa applicants and their dependents will be subject to review. Previously, this type of social media screening only applied to students and exchange visitors, but the department has now expanded it to include H-1B holders and H-4 dependents. To support this process, applicants for H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas have been advised to post their social media profiles. The F, M, and J visa categories are specifically for students and exchange visitors coming to the United States.
The administration has launched a major crackdown to curb abuse of the H-1B visa program, which is routinely used by companies, particularly in the technology sector, to hire foreign workers in the US. Indian professionals, including technical workers and doctors, represent a significant portion of H-1B visa holders.
Meanwhile, in September, Trump issued a statement titled “Restricting the Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” as the first step toward reforming the H-1B visa program. The statement imposed a one-time fee of $100,000 on new H-1B visas, a measure that could affect Indian professionals seeking temporary work in the US.
In addition, the US immediately suspended green card, citizenship and other immigration applications for individuals from 19 “countries of interest” after an Afghan national shot and killed National Guard soldiers. Earlier this month, a policy memorandum ordered US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to suspend all asylum applications, regardless of the applicant’s nationality, pending a comprehensive review. These countries were previously included in the travel ban Trump announced in June.
