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U.S. Resumes Student Visa Processing Under Expanded Social Media Screening

Public disclosure of applicants’ online activity is mandatory under new national security protocols governing visa use

Overview

  • The State Department reopened student visa applications on June 18 after a brief pause to enhance social media vetting of foreign nationals
  • Applicants who decline to make their social media profiles public may face rejection as a sign of attempted evasion
  • Deputy Spokesperson Mignon Houston emphasized that every visa determination is grounded in national security considerations
  • Visa holders are required to use their status exclusively for academic study and are barred from disrupting classes or vandalizing campuses
  • The policy is designed to protect both American citizens and the international student community by enforcing strict compliance with U.S. immigration law