The US Embassy in Manila is requesting applicants for F, M and J non-immigrant visas to make their social media profiles publicly visible, citing it as a necessary step in the United States government’s vetting procedures.
“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States,” the embassy announced on Tuesday.
The embassy emphasized that this requirement aligns with an existing policy, adding, “Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms.”
F visas are issued to individuals seeking to pursue academic studies at U.S. educational institutions. M visas are for those enrolled in vocational or non-academic programs, while J visas are intended for participants in designated exchange visitor programs, typically involving cultural or educational exchange.
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the US, including those who pose a threat to the US’ national security,” the embassy added.
The embassy did not specify how long social media profiles must remain public, but encouraged applicants to cooperate fully to avoid delays in processing.