U.S. resumes issuing student visas, but will require access to applicants’ social media

Washington.- The United States Department of State announced the resumption of the visa application process for foreign students, after having been suspended since May. However, the reopening of the program comes with a new and controversial condition: all applicants must unlock their social media accounts to allow their review by the Government. In an official statement, the entity explained that consular officials will be instructed to examine publications, messages, and activities on social platforms in order to identify content considered hostile towards the United States, its Government, its culture, its institutions, or its founding principles.

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The announcement marks a significant change in immigration policy for students, incorporating a more exhaustive evaluation of applicants’ digital profiles as part of the security and background check process. The Department warned that applicants who do not set up their accounts as “public” or refuse to provide access to their social networks could be automatically rejected. This measure has generated mixed reactions. While some sectors consider it a legitimate tool to protect national security, others warn that it could violate the privacy of individuals and discourage international students who were planning to study academically in US territory. The decision comes at a key moment, just as many universities begin to prepare for the entry of new students for the fall semester. Thousands of young people around the world who aspired to study in the United States will now have to decide whether they are willing to expose their digital life as part of the immigration admission process. So far, the State Department has not specified whether the measure will be permanent nor has it detailed the exact criteria that consular officers will use to evaluate content on social media.