Overview
- Effective December 15, the State Department began reviewing the online presence of all H‑1B applicants and H‑4 dependents, instructing them—as well as F, M and J applicants—to make social profiles public for screening.
- Officials say applicants will not be asked for passwords, with reviews limited to publicly accessible information as part of what the department calls national‑security vetting.
- Processing disruptions have already surfaced in India, where H‑1B interviews were rescheduled and some existing H‑1B/H‑4 visas were prudentially revoked, according to consular notices and immigration attorneys.
- A parallel DHS proposal would require Visa Waiver/ESTA travelers to disclose five years of social‑media handles plus expanded contact and device‑related data, a plan now open for public comment before any final rule.
- Digital‑rights advocates and legal experts warn of privacy and free‑speech risks, unclear exclusion criteria, and questions about how agencies will scale reviews, likely with automation.