On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State released an Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants. This includes the review of social media for all F (student), M (student, vocational), and J (exchange visitor) nonimmigrant visa applicants.
As part of this announcement, visa applicants will be instructed to set all social media profiles to “public” to allow full review by consular officers.
Media reports indicate that a Department of State cable instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to implement these procedures. These expanded screening measures may lead to additional documentation requests, interview questions, or longer visa processing time, particularly for applicants from certain countries or academic fields.
Things to Consider:
- Visa scheduling resumption may vary by individual U.S. Embassies and Consulates and may happen gradually.
- To help expedite the process outlined in the Department of State announcement, consider adjusting the privacy settings on all your social media profiles to “public.”
- Current international students and scholars should refer to the travel guidance section of our website. You might reconsider your international travel plans if you do not have a valid visa for your expected return date.
- You may be asked to provide more detailed background information during the visa application or renewal process.
- We recommend planning well in advance for any international travel, re-entry, or visa renewal due to processing time increases.
The Division of Global Engagement is closely monitoring developments. If you have questions about this announcement or experience issues traveling to the U.S., please reach out to istudent@ucsc.edu or ischolar@ucsc.edu for guidance.