U.S. consulates in Karachi and Lahore, in separate but identical postings on their Instagram accounts, have directed applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas to ensure their social media accounts are public or risk rejection.
Earlier this week, the U.S. administration directed the resumption of student visa appointments halted earlier this year, but stressed social media vetting would be strengthened to identify any applicants who may be hostile towards the United States, according to the Reuters news agency.
It reported U.S. consular officers are now required to conduct a “comprehensive and thorough vetting” of all student and exchange visitor applicants to identify those who “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.”
In their Instagram posts, the U.S. consulates in Pakistan directed all F, M and J non-immigrant visa applicants to adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to allow officials to review the accounts as part of identity verification and eligibility assessment processes. They warned that failure to do so could result in visa denial and potential ineligibility for future U.S. visas.
“Since 2019, both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants have been required to list their social media identifiers and account handles on the U.S. visa application forms,” the posts recalled.