US Embassy announces implementation of social media vetting for certain visas

In line with a recent announcement by the US State Department, the embassy in Kingston has announced that, effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting.

A notice posted to the US Embassy's website said the vetting is "necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law".

In a notice on June 19, the State Department said it was restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas, but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review.

The department said consular officers will be on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles.

The department said it had rescinded its May suspension of student visa processing, but said new applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them to be reviewed may be rejected. It said a refusal to do so could be a sign they are trying to evade the requirement or hide their online activity.

The Trump administration last month temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the US, while preparing to expand the screening of their activity on social media, officials said.

Students around the world have been waiting anxiously for US consulates to reopen appointments for visa interviews, as the window left to book their travel and make housing arrangements narrows ahead of the start of the school year.

- Contributions from AP

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