The US embassy has directed all international students aspiring to study in the United States to adjust privacy settings on their social media profiles to ‘public’ not just while applying for a visa but during their entire course of study, effective immediately.( This applicable to all individuals applying for an F, M or J non-immigrant visa).
1. Student Visa Appointment Freeze & Resumption
- May 27 – June 17, 2025: U.S. embassies globally paused scheduling new F, M, and J visa interviews
- From June 18, 2025: Interviews resumed with stricter vetting, especially around applicants’ online histories
- Mandatory Social Media Disclosure & Screening
- All applicants must provide social media handles used in the past five years.
- Accounts must be made public during the application process.
- Officers will review posts for hostility to U.S. institutions, extremist views, anti-Semitism, or support for terrorism. Hidden or private profiles may result in rejection or delays.
3. Country-Specific Travel & Visa Bans
- From June 9, 2025, the U.S. banned issuance of new F, M, J visas to citizens of 12 countries (e.g., Iran, Somalia, Yemen) and pauses processing for an additional 7 countries (e.g., Cuba, Venezuela).
4. Expanded Vetting & Revocations (Catch & Revoke)
- A Government wide initiative uses AI tools to monitor social media and other public data.
- Thousands of student visas have been revoked under this program, including for minor infractions or political activism (e.g. protest participation).
- Executive Orders (e.g. 14161, 14188) authorize deportation for visa holders found to express anti‑U.S. or anti-Semitic views—even on campus
5. OPT/Work Regulations & H‑1B Cap Impacts
- OPT eligibility expanded to all degree levels (associate to doctoral), including STEM vs non‑STEM differentiation
- 60-day grace period introduced post‑OPT for transitions in status or programs
- H‑1B cap for FY 2026 is already reached, limiting transitions from F‑1 OPT to work visas; DHS is proposing a shift to wage-based selection for future H‑1B recipients
- Extended Cap‑Gap protection now lets students remain employed until April 1 of the following fiscal year if H‑1B is pending
6. Interview Waiver & Dropbox Rule Changes
- Visa renewal via Dropbox now only eligible if previous visa expired within 12 months (down from 48 months) and is same visa class
- All status changes (e.g., F‑1 to H‑1B or B‑2 to something else) require an in-person interview—no exceptions.
7. Procedural & Documentation Updates
- DS‑160 barcode must match appointment confirmation exactly—mismatches require rescheduling and extra fees
- Applicants must now upload all supporting documents (financials, transcripts, invitation letters) digitally via CEAC at least 72 hours before the interview Universities are now required to strictly monitor student attendance and academic performance. Falling below required course loads or grades could result in visa status loss
( Content of this article is derived from multiple sources on web).