The US government has tightened the screening and verification processes for H-1B visa applicants and their dependent H-4 visa holders. Under the new instructions, all applicants have been asked to keep the privacy settings of their social media profiles as “public”.
In a new order issued on Wednesday, the State Department said that from December 15, the online presence of all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be reviewed. Previously, student (F, M) and ‘exchange visitor’ (J visas) were already subject to such scrutiny, which has now been extended to H-1B and H-4 visas.
“To facilitate this investigation, all H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J visa applicants are directed to turn the privacy settings of all their social media profiles on public,” the State Department said.
The Department stressed that a U.S. visa is “not a right, but a privilege” and that applicants are thoroughly screened using all available information in the interest of national security. “Every visa decision is a national security decision,” the statement said.
The move is the latest action by the Trump administration to tighten immigration rules. The administration is taking sweeping action to prevent abuse of the H-1B visa, which is largely used by US technology companies to hire foreign professionals.
Indian professionals, especially technology workers and doctors, are the biggest beneficiaries of H-1B visas.
