Washington D.C., June 23, 2025 — In a significant move to enhance national security, the United States has introduced a new regulation requiring all visa applicants to make their social media accounts publicly accessible during the application process.
According to the latest update from the U.S. State Department, this mandate applies across all non-immigrant and immigrant visa categories. Applicants will now be required to ensure their social media handles including platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and others are set to public mode for officials to verify and screen their online activity.
This new directive builds on the 2019 policy where visa applicants were already required to disclose their social media handles from the past five years. However, the current regulation now goes a step further by mandating that these profiles must be accessible without privacy restrictions.
Officials argue that the measure aims to identify potential threats before they reach U.S. soil and prevent visa misuse. “Open access to online behavior is crucial for comprehensive vetting in today’s digital age,” said a senior State Department spokesperson. “This policy helps ensure transparency and supports our ongoing efforts to safeguard national interests.”
Human rights and privacy advocates, however, have raised serious concerns. Critics warn that the move could lead to censorship, profiling, or unfair rejection of visas based on misunderstood or out-of-context social media posts.
The State Department insists that data obtained will be treated in line with existing privacy laws and that decisions will not be made based on political views or religious beliefs. They added that the policy will be reviewed periodically for effectiveness and fairness.
Visa applicants failing to comply with the public access requirement may face delays or denials in processing.
