US now requires student visa applicants to unlock social media

________________

New applicants for United States student visas will now be required to make their social media accounts public as part of enhanced vetting procedures.

This development follows the US State Department’s decision to expand student visa requirements.

In a public notice shared via the X platform on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Uganda stated, “Starting now, if you’re applying for a student visa (F, M, or J category visa), make sure your social media accounts are set to public. This helps with the identity and admissibility checks required by US law.”

The embassy further warned, “Not including this info could result in a visa denial or make you ineligible for future visas. Be honest, double check your application, and make sure everything is accurate before submitting!”

A spokesperson for the US State Department said on Tuesday that individuals keeping their social media accounts private may be viewed as attempting to conceal their online activity.

Officials have been instructed to expand social media vetting of applicants and search for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States.”

Who will be affected?

The new guidelines will affect all applicants for F visas, which are primarily granted to university students. M visa applicants, typically vocational students, and those applying for J visas, used by exchange students, will also be subject to the new requirements, a State Department spokesperson confirmed.

In May this year, the State Department issued a directive ordering US embassies worldwide to immediately suspend the scheduling of visa interviews for foreign students while preparations were made to implement the expanded social media screening for all international visa applicants.

While interviews that had already been scheduled were allowed to proceed, the announcement caused panic among students who had yet to secure appointments.

Broader context of US policy shifts

The directive comes amid a wave of policy changes targeting international students at US universities.

Former President Donald Trump’s administration announced new restrictions on Chinese students, focusing on those studying in “critical fields” or with links to the Chinese Communist Party, and introduced stricter scrutiny for all future applicants from China and Hong Kong.

In May, the US Department of Homeland Security also barred Harvard University from enrolling new international students. This forced many students to either transfer to other institutions or leave the country entirely.

The White House claimed the decision was based on national security concerns, accusing Harvard of failing to properly vet incoming foreign scholars.

However, US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs on Monday indefinitely blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard University’s right to enrol international students.

Judge Burroughs ruled that the presidential proclamation violated the university’s constitutional protections and was part of a retaliatory campaign waged by the Trump administration.

“This case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism,” Burroughs stated in her 44-page ruling.