Indian Students Face Tighter Scrutiny as US Visa Requires 5 Years of Social Media Data

Moneylife Digital Team 27 June 2025

Personal Finance

The US Embassy in India has issued a strict advisory to all visa applicants, mandating the disclosure of social media handles used in the last five years as part of their application process. Failure to provide this information, the embassy cautioned, could result in visa denial and permanent ineligibility for future applications.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) morning, the Embassy stated, “Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form.” The form, used for non-immigrant visa categories, now includes a section where applicants must specify every platform they've used — from Facebook to LinkedIn — along with all associated usernames or identifiers.

The embassy emphasised that any omission — whether accidental or deliberate — could jeopardise the entire visa application. “Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit it,” the statement read.

Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and… pic.twitter.com/ZiSewKYNbt
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) June 26, 2025

The advisory particularly impacts Indian students applying under the F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange visitor) categories. A directive issued earlier this week also asked these applicants to switch the privacy settings of their social media profiles to 'public' so that officials can verify their identities and vet content for any national security risks.

According to the Embassy, social media vetting has been in place since 2019, but the current changes reflect a tightening of screening standards, especially amid recent immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration.

A digital poster shared by the embassy carried a blunt message: “Every US visa adjudication is a national security decision.”

“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting,” it added.

This increased scrutiny is part of what US officials describe as an enhanced national security protocol, aimed at filtering out individuals who may pose a threat or misuse their visa status. The move also comes in the wake of heightened concern over online radicalisation, anti-American rhetoric, and misuse of student visas, particularly after a wave of pro-Palestine protests across US campuses.

In a related policy update, the US department of state clarified that even after a visa is granted, screening continues, and any violation of US laws could lead to visa revocation, deportation, and permanent ineligibility for future travel.

Earlier, on 19 June 2025, the Embassy reiterated that holding a US visa is a privilege, not a right, and warned that illegal drug use, criminal behaviour, or the abuse of visa terms could result in serious consequences.

The Indian government has responded with caution. Speaking to reporters, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Union ministry of external affairs (MEA), says that while visa decisions are sovereign matters, India hopes all applications from Indian nationals are 'treated on merit'.

India remains engaged with US authorities on mobility and consular issues to safeguard the interests of Indian travellers and students, he added.

For Indian students — the second-largest group of international students in the US — the latest directive adds another layer of complexity to an already intensive visa process. Education consultants and visa experts are now advising applicants to audit their online presence, remove sensitive or controversial content and ensure all usernames and accounts are accurately declared.

The DS-160 visa form, used for all temporary travel categories, now prompts applicants to select each platform they have used in the last five years and list corresponding usernames or phone numbers. An option to 'add another' allows users to declare multiple handles for a single platform.

Officials say the goal is not to police political views, but to ensure that applicants align with US laws, cultural expectations, and national security interests.

The Embassy’s message is clear: what you post, like, or share online can now affect whether you get to set foot on American soil.

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