The United States government is reportedly planning to expand social media screening for visa applicants as part of President Donald Trump’s continued efforts to tighten immigration policies.
According to reports, the new measure could affect more categories of foreign nationals, including journalists, who are applying for visas to enter the United States.
The development was highlighted after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a report by The Daily Signal on X, which claimed the US State Department is preparing to widen its social media vetting process for additional visa categories.
The report, citing an internal State Department memo, stated that affected visa applicants may now be required to change the privacy settings on their social media accounts to “public” or “open” during the application process.
Although the State Department did not directly confirm the reported changes, it acknowledged that visa screening procedures are constantly being reviewed.
Responding to inquiries, a State Department spokesperson said the department regularly evaluates its vetting process to maintain national security and public safety.
“The department is constantly reviewing and evaluating screening and vetting procedures worldwide to ensure that our visa process upholds the highest standards for US national security and public safety,” the spokesperson said.
The official added that reviewing applicants’ online presence helps determine whether they qualify for visas under US immigration laws and whether they pose any potential security risk.
“Online presence vetting is about applicants demonstrating their eligibility to receive a visa under US law and ensuring that no individual poses a risk to the safety and security of the United States,” the spokesperson added.
The United States already requires applicants in certain visa categories, including student visas, to make their social media accounts publicly accessible for review.
However, according to The Daily Signal, the expanded policy could now cover foreign journalists as well as certain applicants from Canada and Mexico.
The proposed move forms part of President Trump’s broader immigration agenda, which has included stricter border controls, the deportation of undocumented migrants and tighter entry requirements for citizens of several countries.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly defended the administration’s immigration policies.
“A visa is a privilege, not a right,” Rubio previously stated.
The Trump administration also recently finalised new immigration rules that place stricter limits on how long certain foreign nationals can remain in the United States.
Under the proposed changes, international students would be allowed to stay for the duration of their academic programmes, subject to a maximum stay of four years.
Meanwhile, foreign journalists would be limited to an initial stay of 240 days (around eight months), although they would be eligible to apply for extensions if necessary.
If implemented, the expanded social media vetting policy would represent another significant change to the US visa application process and could affect thousands of prospective travellers seeking entry into the country.
Source: AFP.
