US resumes visas for foreign students but demands access to social media accounts
UNITED STATES, JUN 18 – Applicants for F, M, and J visas must now make social media accounts public for vetting to identify hostile attitudes or security threats, with over 300 visas revoked since May, officials said.
- The U.S. State Department resumed processing student visa applications on Wednesday, now requiring all F, M, and J visa candidates to make their social media profiles accessible for government review.
- This resumption follows a suspension last month while the administration expanded vetting procedures to include social media screening amid increased scrutiny of foreign students.
- Consular officers will examine social media profiles for content hostile to U.S. values or institutions, and refusal to comply could result in visa denial or additional review.
- More than 1,500 visas for international students have been canceled at over 200 educational institutions, affecting a student population of more than 1.1 million who play a vital role in supporting U.S. higher education and the economy.
- The policy is intended to safeguard national security but has sparked worries about suppressing free political expression and causing instability for colleges that rely heavily on international student enrollment.
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549 Articles
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