New US visa rule from October 1: Expanded social media screening for I, TN and TD visa applicants

New US visa rule coming into effect from October 1, 2026 Starting on October 1, 2026, the US Department of State will check the social media accounts of I-1, TN, and TD visa applicants. These visa applicants will have to make all their social media profiles public for review by visa officials. Social media vetting is already in place for H-1B/H4, F-1/F-2, J-1/J-2, H-3, K, R, Q, T/U/S visa applicants. The new rule only expands the purview of the vetting process.I visa is for foreign media representatives; TN visa is for Canadian and Mexican professionals under USMCA and the TD visa is for the dependents of TN applicants. The expansion will not affect Indian visa applicants much, except for Indian journalists who will now need to show their social media accounts to visa officers."The Department relies on every available source of information during visa screening and vetting to identify applicants who may be inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to national security or public safety. We apply this rigorous vetting standard consistently across all visa applicants," the department said.October 1 marks the beginning of a new fiscal year (FY 2027) which res...