DOS Expands Social Media Review To H-1B & H-4 Visas

Starting December 15, 2025, the US Department of State (DOS) will expand its online presence review for all H-1B and H-4 dependent visa applications. DOS is already conducting this review for F-1 student and J-1 exchange visitor visa applicants. As part of this new policy, all applicants for H-1B and H-4 visas, i.e. individuals applying at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate for travel documents to enter the U.S., will be required to make their social media profiles public. 

Noting that “[e]very visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the DOS stated that it will review applicants’ social media to identify individuals who are inadmissible to the U.S. “including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety.”