Residents from the UAE applying for certain US visas will now have to make their social media accounts public, the US embassy in UAE announced recently.
All applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public’.
The move comes after the US ramped up vetting of social media accounts as President Donald Trump’s administration ordered the resumption of student visa appointments but said it will significantly tighten its social media vetting in a bid to “identify any applicants who may be hostile towards the United States”.
US consular officers are now required to conduct a “comprehensive and thorough vetting” of all student and exchange visitor applicants to identify those who “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles,” according to an internal State Department cable, which was dated June 18 and sent to US missions on Wednesday, June 25.
In its statement, the US mission said it will be conducting thorough monitoring, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
“A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” read a part of the statement.
Visas explained
F and M visas are both student visas for studying in the US, but they cater to different types of educational pursuits. The F visa is for academic studies at an accredited institution like a university or college, while the M visa is for vocational or non-academic studies.
Meanwhile, the J visa, also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa, is a nonimmigrant visa for individuals participating in approved exchange visitor programmes in the US. These programs are designed to promote cultural and educational exchange between the US and other countries. J-1 visa holders can participate in programmes that include student, research, teaching, and work-based exchanges.
Applications to resume
The mission further added that its overseas posts will resume scheduling these visa applications soon. Applicants have been urged to check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability.
This comes after the Trump administration ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants on May 27.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission,” it further added.
What will be monitored?
The new vetting process should include a review of the applicant’s entire online presence and not just social media activity, the State Department cable said, urging officers to use any “appropriate search engines or other online resources”.
During the vetting, the directive asks officers to look for any potentially derogatory information about the applicant.
Fewer appointments?
While the new directive allows posts to resume scheduling for student and exchange visa applicants, it is warning the officers that there may have to be fewer appointments due to the demands of more extensive vetting.
“Posts should consider overall scheduling volume and the resource demands of appropriate vetting; posts might need to schedule fewer FMJ cases than they did previously,” the cable said, referring to the relevant visa types.
The directive has also asked posts to prioritise among expedited visa appointments of foreign-born physicians participating in a medical programme through exchange visas, as well as student applicants looking to study in a US university where international students constitute less than 15 per cent of the total.
