State Department Begins Social Media Vetting of H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants, Requires Public Profiles

Beginning December 15, 2025, the State Department expanded online presence review to all H-1B and H-4 dependent visa applicants during consular adjudication. Applicants must set social media profiles — including X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn — to "public" before consular interviews. Private profiles can trigger negative credibility inferences and refusal. Mismatches between online content and petition details on employer, job title, or dates may trigger administrative processing delays.