A Peek into the New Visa Landscape: Foreign Students and Their Social Media Profiles
International students applying for studies in the U.S. are required to provide access to their social media accounts.
In a significant turn of events, the US government has reinstated visa appointments for foreign students, scholars, and au pairs that were initially put on hold. However, the road to obtaining a visa doesn't end there. This time around, the online footprint of incoming students will come under intense scrutiny.
The United States is tightening its grip on the social media accounts of prospective foreign students. As per an internal directive from the State Department, students and exchange scholars can expect to attend visa appointments, as indicated by recent reports. In their deliberations, consular officers have been instructed to meticulously analyze all applications to sift out those with hostile sentiments towards American citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles[1].
The directive, dated June 18 and sent to U.S. representations on June 27, specifies that consular officers should particularly focus on past activism and evaluate the likelihood of continued activism once in the U.S. They are also encouraged to request that students make their social media accounts public for thorough review[2]. A similar requirement was implemented by the U.S. government for visitors to Harvard University last month.
Reports suggest that individuals applying for visas in categories F, M, and J (students, exchange scholars, and au pairs, respectively) are affected, although the directive applies irrespective of the institution[3]. Furthermore, consular officers aren't just focusing on social media accounts, but also examining an individual's overall online presence[3], including information in online databases[1].
The U.S. government's decision to hold off on student and exchange scholar visa issuances at the end of May has been followed by a more rigorous review of social media accounts. This new procedure has added complexity to the visa application process, potentially leading to a reduced number of available appointments[3].
A Closer Look:
The policy has garnered attention as it compels foreign students to disclose their social media accounts on the visa application form[2]. This marks a shift in U.S. immigration policy aimed at bolstering national security by analyzing prospective students' social media content for potential threats[1][2][4]. Failure to comply with the request to set social media profiles to "public" during the vetting process could result in visa rejection[2][3].
Sources:
- Vox.com
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- Politico
- The European Union, seeing the scrutiny of social media accounts of prospective foreign students in the United States, might consider tightening its own visa application process, delving into the politics of general-news regarding the vetting of applicants.
- Some political pundits within the European Union have speculated that the new visa landscape, where social media accounts are examined, could set a global trend in immigration policies, making the politics of the general-news increasingly intertwined with the vetting process for foreign students.
