US Orders H-1B Applicants to Make Social Media Profiles Public Amid Tighter Vetting

Digital Desk

The United States has directed all H-1B visa applicants and their dependents to keep their social media profiles publicly visible, significantly expanding scrutiny of highly skilled foreign workers. The order, issued by the State Department and effective December 15, extends an existing review framework that previously applied only to student and exchange visa categories.

According to the directive, consular officers will now examine applicants’ online presence as part of routine security checks. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the department said, adding that visa eligibility requires full visibility into an applicant’s background to identify potential threats to public safety.

The move is expected to have the greatest impact on Indian nationals, who account for nearly 71% of all H-1B approvals annually. The US also instructed applicants under dependent categories such as H-4, along with F, M and J visa holders, to switch all social media privacy settings to “public.”

A cable sent to US missions on December 2, accessed by Reuters, indicates that officers will review résumés and LinkedIn profiles to determine whether applicants have worked in areas such as misinformation, content moderation, fact-checking or online safety—fields the administration has linked to censorship concerns.

The announcement comes amid renewed political debate over the H-1B programme. US economist and former Congressman Dave Brat recently alleged “industrial-level fraud,” particularly pointing to India. He claimed the number of visa approvals in Chennai alone far exceeded the annual national cap—an assertion widely disputed by immigration experts.

The order also follows a broader tightening of immigration rules under the Trump administration, including a one-time $100,000 fee imposed on new H-1B petitions and a series of crackdowns aimed at reducing perceived misuse of work visas.

For Indian tech workers—the largest group within the category—the enhanced vetting is likely to result in longer wait times, more extensive questioning and increased rejection risks. Dependents, many of whom already face restrictive work policies, will now navigate additional layers of scrutiny.

Separately, the US has paused processing of Green Cards and certain immigration benefits for applicants from 19 “countries of concern,” citing security assessments following a recent attack involving an Afghan national.

The changes add another layer of uncertainty for Indian professionals, thousands of whom rely on the H-1B route for long-term employment and eventual permanent residency in the US.