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Effective December 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of State will expand its social media screening and "online presence review" to include all H‑1B specialty occupation workers and their H‑4 dependents. This requirement was initially applied to student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M and J categories on June 18, 2025.
The Department has further instructed all applicants in the H‑1B/H‑4, F, M and J categories to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to "public" to facilitate consular vetting.
Under the expanded policy, consular officers will review publicly accessible online information for every H‑1B and H‑4 visa applicant as a standard component of visa screening, consistent with existing review protocols for F, M and J applicants. Consular officers will review this information to identify applicants who may be deemed inadmissible to the United States, including those who could pose national security or public safety risks.
Applicants should anticipate a more comprehensive review of their publicly available online presence. Enhanced screening may lengthen adjudication times in some cases or prompt targeted questions at interview. For example, it has been reported that the U.S. consulates in India have rescheduled existing appointments in December 2025 to March 2026 to accommodate for the additional review.
H-1B and H-4 visa applications that cannot be approved immediately will be temporarily denied until the consular staff has completed its review of the applicants' social media presence. This temporary denial will generally render the person ineligible for future Electronic System for Travel Authorization applications, even if the H visa application is ultimately approved.
Recommended Actions
Applicants should take the following steps to prepare for the expanded screening:
- Conduct a careful review of public social media profiles to confirm that biographic details, employment history, job titles, locations, education and dates do not conflict with the information provided in the petition, DS‑160 or supporting documents. Apparent discrepancies can create otherwise avoidable questions.
- Confirm that usernames, nicknames and alternate spellings do not inadvertently suggest multiple identities or undisclosed accounts.
- Avoid last‑minute mass deletions or edits that could appear as inconsistent or evasive. Where corrections are needed, make accurate updates and be ready to explain the context if asked.
- Refrain from posting or amplifying content that could be misconstrued as advocating unlawful activity or promoting threats to national security.
- Refrain from posts inconsistent with the terms of your visa classification, including unauthorized employment, misstatements about work location or intent inconsistent with nonimmigrant status.
- Preserve copies of current public profile pages and relevant timelines for your records in case of later questions about historical content viewed during adjudication.
- Answer any questions directly and truthfully and be prepared to provide brief context where online content could be ambiguous or outdated.
For More Information
If you have any questions about this Alert, please contact Ted J. Chiappari, M. Alejandra Vargas, Lauren Aucoin, Isabella Castellon Lebron, any of the attorneys in our Immigration Law Group or the attorney in the firm with whom you are regularly in contact.
Disclaimer: This Alert has been prepared and published for informational purposes only and is not offered, nor should be construed, as legal advice. For more information, please see the firm's full disclaimer.
