New US Visa Rule Requires Students to Share Social Media Accounts

The US State Department has announced a new rule requiring student visa applicants to disclose their social media handles from the last five years. This policy aims to enhance security checks by reviewing applicants' online activities for any potential threats. Students must set their accounts to public and may face serious consequences for non-compliance, including visa denial. As millions of students pursue education in the US, this regulation could significantly affect their application process. Read on to understand the full implications of this new requirement.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 24, 2025, 20:03 IST

New Requirement for Student Visa Applicants

The US State Department has introduced a new regulation mandating that students applying for F, M, and J visas must disclose their social media handles from the past five years. This requirement encompasses around 20 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, LinkedIn, and Reddit. Applicants are required to set their privacy settings to 'public' for all these accounts.

The aim of this policy is to conduct thorough background checks on applicants to ascertain they do not pose a security risk to the United States. Visa officers will scrutinize social media activity to identify any anti-American sentiments, affiliations with terrorist organizations, antisemitic content, or extremist behavior.

This guideline was revealed on June 18, 2025, and is set to take effect on June 25. Until the implementation is complete, US embassies will pause the scheduling of new student visa interviews.

Requirements for Students:

When completing the visa application form (DS-160 or DS-260), applicants must select their social media platforms and provide all associated usernames.

All account settings must be adjusted to public.

Applicants should review their previous posts and remove or hide any content that could be deemed provocative or offensive.

Consequences of Non-Compliance:

Failure to comply with these requirements, such as keeping accounts private or providing misleading information, may raise suspicions about the applicant's intentions, potentially resulting in visa denial or future entry ineligibility to the US.

Experts suggest that students will need to exercise greater caution regarding their online presence and maintain full transparency during the visa application process, as millions seek education in the US annually, and this new policy could significantly impact their applications.