12/15/2025
Social Media requirment update and cancellation of visa stamping appointments -
As of December 15, 2025 the Department will expand the requirement that an online presence review be conducted for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, in addition to the students and exchange visitors already subject to this review. To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public.”
To meet the new vetting requirments, consulates have started cancelling visa stamping appointments, and rescheduling may not be possible until June/July 2026. Applicants are reminded to check the State Department website for updates.
Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats