The U.S. State Department has resumed processing student visas after a brief suspension, but with a significant new requirement. Foreign applicants must now grant full public access to their social media accounts or risk denial.
In a public notice issued Wednesday, the department confirmed that consular officers would assess applicants’ online behavior for any signs of hostility toward the U.S. government, its institutions, culture, or founding ideals. Those unwilling to unlock their social media pages during the review process may be considered suspicious and denied entry on grounds of potential concealment.
This policy shift comes in the wake of a temporary freeze on student visa interviews announced in May by the Trump administration, which sought to expand digital vetting protocols for foreigners entering the U.S. under student status.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: U.S. puts hold on foreign student visa interviews to broaden social media checks
Officials said the revived screening aims to enhance national security. “This will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country,” the State Department said Wednesday.
Watch a recent episode of The BreakDown podcast below and subscribe to our channel PanaGenius TV for latest episodes.
The announcement has caused anxiety among international students, many of whom have been awaiting appointments with tightening academic timelines. On Wednesday, Chen, a 27-year-old Ph.D. student in Toronto, finally secured a visa interview for next week. He hopes to start a U.S. research internship in late July. “I’m really relieved,” he said in AP report, requesting to be identified only by his surname out of fear of repercussions. “I’ve been refreshing the website a couple of times every day.”
Students from countries such as China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines have taken to social media to share updates, monitor booking portals, and watch State Department briefings in hopes of securing interview slots before the school year begins.
In tandem with the social media checks, the State Department has issued internal guidance giving priority to students enrolling at U.S. institutions where foreign students make up less than 15% of the student body, according to a government official who requested anonymity. This prioritization could disadvantage students heading to nearly 200 colleges, mostly private, including all Ivy League schools and public universities like the University of Illinois and Penn State.
Federal data from 2023 shows that more than 15% of the student population at nearly 100 U.S. undergraduate institutions is international, raising concerns about the new policy’s fairness and impact on higher education.
This marks a broader escalation in scrutiny of international students. Earlier this year, the administration revoked visas from thousands of students, some with only minor infractions, before abruptly reversing course. In addition, the list of disqualifying criteria for student visa holders has expanded, prompting widespread confusion.
Harvard University has become a particular flashpoint. As part of a broader campaign, President Donald Trump has criticized the Ivy League institution’s reliance on international enrollment and proposed a controversial 15% cap.
The administration’s posture reflects a larger immigration strategy. A diplomatic cable issued over the weekend revealed that the U.S. has asked 36 countries to strengthen vetting procedures for travelers or risk inclusion in a travel ban already affecting 12 nations. The countries have 60 days to comply.
Critics argue the new social media review policy crosses into ideological vetting reminiscent of the Cold War era. Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, warned that such practices could suppress free expression globally.
“This policy makes a censor of every consular officer, and it will inevitably chill legitimate political speech both inside and outside the United States,” Jaffer said.
READ ALSO: Trump bars new foreign students from Harvard, citing national security threat
