US Student Visas Now Require Enhanced Social Media Screening—Here's What to Know
As of June 18, 2025, the US State Department has implemented new rules requiring applicants for student (F and M) and exchange visitor (J) visas to submit their social media handles and make their profiles public during the visa review process. Consular officers have been directed to conduct in-depth reviews of applicants' online presence (particularly for individuals from countries deemed high risk by the state department), to identify applicants who the administration deems as inadmissible to the US.
'Students need to understand that their digital footprint could become part of their permanent US immigration record,' says Loren Locke, an immigration attorney at Locke Immigration Law, who previously adjudicated thousands of visa applications as a State Department consular officer. 'This means years of posts, comments, and friendships could be scrutinized.'
Perhaps the most dramatic development is what's happening at Harvard. As of late May, anyone seeking a US visa for any purpose tied to Harvard—students, staff, researchers, or even tourists attending campus events—are being flagged for 'enhanced vetting.' The move, framed by the State Department as a national security measure, is part of a pilot program that could expand to other institutions. And on July 23, the State Department announced an investigation into Harvard's eligibility to sponsor international students and researchers. Without that authority, granted by the government, Harvard would not be able to enroll new international students or host researchers and visiting professors from abroad.
Below, we break down everything you need know about applying for US student and exchange visas right now, according to immigration lawyers and experts.
Who does this affect?
The policy applies globally to all noncitizens applying for US student and exchange visas. Still, Harvard University became the first school to face enhanced scrutiny under a pilot program launched in late May. According to internal memos obtained by numerous media outlets, anyone applying for a visa connected to Harvard (which again includes students, scholars, visiting speakers, and campus event attendees) is now subject to a separate layer of national security review.
The administration has justified the move by citing alleged failures by Harvard to curb antisemitism and threats to campus safety following pro-Palestinian protests. On July 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a formal investigation into Harvard's eligibility to sponsor international students and researchers, even as the university fights the policy in court. A federal judge previously granted Harvard a temporary restraining order to prevent visa denials based solely on political affiliation or social media content.
Prepare for expanded screening and vetting
The screening process extends far beyond consular officers casually scrolling through applicants' Instagram accounts. Under the new rules, applicants must now provide a complete list of their online identifiers (usernames or handles) across platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and others. Officers will also look for mentions of the applicants in news articles, published scholarly articles, or any other searchable content.
According to a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department to embassies and consulates (and obtained by multiple outlets), consular officers are directed to comb applicants' online presence to look for 'any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.' It further instructs officers to look for any 'advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to US national security' and 'support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence,' while taking 'screenshots to preserve the record against possible later alteration or loss of the information.'
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