US new visa rules effective from today: Which Indian applicants will face expanded social media screening?

New US visa screening rules come into effect on October 1, 2026, expanding the categories of visa applicants whose social media activity can be reviewed as part of the US government's enhanced vetting process.

Under the US Department of State's September 18 announcement, applicants for I, TN and TD nonimmigrant visas will now be subject to online presence review. Applicants in these categories have been instructed to change the privacy settings on their social media accounts to “public” or “open”, allowing US authorities to review publicly available online information during visa processing.

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What will US authorities review?

The State Department says it relies on available information as part of visa screening and vetting to determine whether applicants are eligible for the visa and whether they could pose national-security or public-safety concerns.

The expanded policy does not mean that every Indian applying for a US visa must make their social media accounts public. The October 1 expansion specifically adds I, TN and TD applicants to categories already subject to online presence review.

Those existing categories include F-1 and F-2 student visas, M-1 and M-2 visas, H-1B and related H visas, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitor visas, K visas, Q visas, R visas and certain diplomatic and other categories.

Which Indians will be directly affected?

For Indians, the most relevant category is the I visa, which is issued to foreign media representatives, including journalists and employees of foreign news organisations.

This means Indian journalists, media professionals and eligible representatives travelling to the US on an I visa will need to make their social media profiles public or open for review. The move could be particularly relevant for Indian reporters, correspondents, editors, photographers and other media professionals who travel to the US for reporting or professional assignments.

The TN visa, meanwhile, is available to qualifying Canadian and Mexican professionals under the USMCA, while TD visas are issued to eligible dependents of TN visa holders. Therefore, these two categories generally have limited direct relevance for Indian nationals.

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What does this mean for Indian applicants?

For Indian applicants in the affected categories, social media activity will become an additional part of the visa vetting process. Applicants should therefore ensure that information associated with their online presence is accurate and consistent with their visa application and professional background.

The change is particularly significant for Indian media professionals, as the I visa is now explicitly covered by the expanded review. However, the State Department has not announced that an applicant will automatically be refused a visa simply because of particular social media content; visa decisions continue to depend on the overall eligibility and vetting process.