On December 3, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) announced that it will expand its online presence review requirement to all H-1B principal applicants and H-4 dependents, effective December 15, 2025. DOS previously issued a similar directive that applied to F, M, and J visa applicants effective June 18, 2025. The new DOS directive also instructs H-1B and H-4 applicants, as well as F, M, and J applicants already subject to this vetting, to ensure that the privacy settings on their social media accounts are set to “public” to help with screening.

The State Department treats all visa adjudications as national security decisions, the department explained in statement on December 3, 2025. This includes going over an applicant’s social media history. Initially, the Department of State initially required social media vetting for just F, M, and J visas.

Additionally, Reuters reported that a cable accompanied the December 3 announcement from DOS. The cable requires consular officers to review LinkedIn profiles or resumes of H-1B and H-4 visa applicants. Resumes are to be reviewed to see if the applicants or their family members have performed work in areas that include misinformation, disinformation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety.

Key Points

• Expansion of Online Presence Review:
  • DOS will now conduct online presence review for H-1B and H-4 applicants in addition to the existing requirement for F, M, and J applicants.
• Public Social Media Settings Required:
  • Applicants in these categories are instructed to set all social media profiles to public so consular officers can review online content during security vetting.
• National Security Framing:
  • The DOS emphasizes that every visa adjudication is a national security decision and that it will use all available information, including online presence, in screening.
• Potential for Increased Processing Times:
  • Expanded vetting may contribute to delays in visa processing, particularly where applicants maintain extensive or complex online activity.

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