US visa new rule crackdown: H-1B, H-4 visa applicants need to make social media profiles public 

Strengthening social media laws further for various visa applicants, the United States has broadened its screening protocol for H-1B visa seekers and their H-4 family members/dependents, with a mandate that all their social media profiles should be public.

A fresh directive issued last week outlined that, starting December 15, officials will review the online footprints of all H-1B applicants and their accompanying family members.

Previously, students and exchange visitors faced this level of scrutiny; the policy has now been extended to include H-1B and H-4 visa seekers as well.

The State Department stated that, to aid the vetting process, applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), along with those seeking F, M, and J visas, should ensure their social media privacy settings are configured to public.

The department emphasised that a US visa is a privilege, not a guarantee, and that all accessible information is used to identify applicants who may be ineligible or pose risks to national security or public safety.

“Each visa decision is a national security determination,” the department asserted.

officials noted the United States must remain alert to prevent harm and to verify that applicants meet eligibility standards and intend to comply with admission terms.

The move represents a continuation of the tightening immigration measures associated with the Trump administration.

Massive crackdown on H-1B visas

The administration has launched a massive crackdown to check abuse of the H-1B visa programme, used largely by US technology companies to hire foreign workers.

Indian professionals, including tech workers and physicians, form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.

In September, US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation, titled ‘Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers’, imposing a one-time USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas, an order that could significantly impact Indian workers seeking temporary employment in the US.

Separately, Washington has also paused with immediate effect Green Card, US citizenship and other immigration applications for people hailing from 19 “countries of concern”, following the shooting of National Guard soldiers by an Afghan national.

A policy memorandum issued Tuesday directs the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to “place on hold”, effective immediately, all asylum applications, regardless of the immigrant’s country of nationality, pending a comprehensive review.

The pause also applies to all immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries previously covered by the administration's travel ban.

These countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

(With inputs from PTI)