ConcludedLast updated Mar 30, 20261 update

Social media vetting: consulates check applicants' accounts before issuing a visa

When you apply for a visa, officers may review your public online accounts and posting history. This used to apply to a few categories; it now covers most of them. This one is settled — expect it as a normal part of the process.

B-2 Tourism & Medical TreatmentM-1 Vocational StudentB-1 Business VisitorL-1 Intracompany TransfereeK-1 Fiancé(e)O-1 Extraordinary AbilityH-1B Specialty OccupationJ-1 Exchange VisitorF-1 Academic Student

Who this applies to & what you could do

B-2 Tourism & Medical Treatment
- Online checks part of routine screening
What you could do
- Answer the social media questions on the form completely.
M-1 Vocational Student
- Online history reviewed at the interview stage
What you could do
- List every handle you have used in the last five years.
B-1 Business Visitor
- Online checks part of routine screening
What you could do
- Answer the social media questions on the form completely.
L-1 Intracompany Transferee
- Online review at the consulate
- Possible extra administrative processing
What you could do
- Allow extra time when applying from abroad.
K-1 Fiancé(e)
- Online review added to the interview process
What you could do
- List all your handles and plan for a longer wait.
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
- Public posts reviewed as part of the decision
What you could do
- List your handles accurately.
H-1B Specialty Occupation
- Checks extended beyond student categories
- Expect longer processing at the consulate
What you could do
- Build extra time into travel plans, and avoid travelling with a fixed, urgent return date.
J-1 Exchange Visitor
- Five years of handles requested
- Profiles expected to be public during processing
What you could do
- Fill in the social media section of the form completely. An omission may be treated as misrepresentation.
F-1 Academic Student
- Handles from the past five years must be listed
- Private accounts may slow or block a decision
What you could do
- List every handle honestly on the DS-160. Leaving one out may be treated as misrepresentation, which is harder to undo than anything you posted.

Timeline — newest first

Mar 30, 2026travel.state.gov
Social media checks extended to student (F-1, M-1), work (H-1B, L-1, O-1), visitor (B-1/B-2) and fiancé(e) (K-1) applicants

Summaries are AI-generated from public government sources and news coverage. This is not legal advice.

Social media checks extended to student (F-1, M-1), work (H-1B, L-1, O-1), visitor (B-1/B-2) and fiancé(e) (K-1) applicants