New US Visa Regulations: H-1B Applicants Must Go Public on Social Media
Enhanced Scrutiny for H-1B Visa Applicants
New York/Washington: The US government has announced new measures to enhance the screening process for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, requiring them to set their social media profiles to 'public'.
According to a directive released on Wednesday, starting December 15, the online activities of all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be scrutinized.
Previously, this level of examination was limited to students and exchange visitors, but it has now been expanded to include H-1B and H-4 visa applicants.
The State Department emphasized that all applicants for H-1B and their dependents, as well as those applying for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, must adjust their social media privacy settings to 'public' to facilitate this vetting process.
The department reiterated that obtaining a US visa is a privilege, not a right, and that they utilize all available information to identify applicants who may be inadmissible or pose a risk to national security or public safety.
"Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," the department stated.
They stressed the importance of ensuring that applicants do not intend to harm Americans and that they can credibly demonstrate their eligibility and intent to adhere to the terms of their admission.
This directive is part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to tighten immigration regulations.
The administration has initiated a significant crackdown on the H-1B visa program, which is predominantly used by US tech companies to recruit foreign talent.
Indian professionals, particularly in technology and healthcare, represent one of the largest demographics of H-1B visa holders.
In September, President Trump issued a proclamation titled 'Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers', which introduced a one-time fee of USD 100,000 for new H-1B work visas, potentially affecting many Indian workers seeking temporary roles in the US.
Additionally, the US has halted Green Card, citizenship, and other immigration applications for individuals from 19 'countries of concern' following a shooting incident involving National Guard soldiers by an Afghan national.
A policy memorandum released on Tuesday instructs the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately suspend all asylum applications, regardless of the applicant's nationality, pending a thorough review.
This suspension also applies to immigration applications from nationals of the 19 countries previously affected by the administration's travel ban.
The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The applications will remain on hold 'pending a comprehensive review, regardless of entry date', as stated in the directive.
This new guidance follows the tragic shooting of US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who succumbed to her injuries, and US Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24, who remains in critical condition.
The suspect, Lakanwal, 29, entered the US through 'Operation Allies Welcome', a program initiated during the Biden administration for Afghan nationals escaping the Taliban takeover in 2021.