The US government has further tightened the scope of immigration screening for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents. A new directive mandates that all H-1B visa applicants must set the privacy settings of all their social media accounts to public. This is intended to allow authorities to review their online profiles thoroughly before the visa interview. This policy is set to become effective on December 15.
🔎 Expanded Scrutiny and Rationale
📜 Policy Scope
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This monitoring, which was previously limited to student visas (F, M) and exchange visitors (J), has now been extended to include H-1B (skilled worker) and H-4 dependents.
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The stated goal of the new policies is to ensure that no applicant poses a threat to national security or public safety and that all candidates meet the conditions of their stay.
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The US State Department has reiterated that granting a visa is a privilege, not a right, and every application is decided with national security as the primary concern.
💼 Broader Immigration Crackdown
This measure is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to strengthen immigration enforcement. Other related steps include:
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H-1B Program Enforcement:
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The government continues to crack down on irregularities within the H-1B program.
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A recent presidential order imposed an additional fee of $100,000 on new H-1B visas.
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Immigration Freeze for Certain Nations:
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Another recent governmental directive immediately halted the processing of Green Card, citizenship, and other immigration applications for individuals hailing from 19 specific countries.
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This decision was prompted by a shooting incident involving an Afghan national targeting National Guard personnel.
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