India Stresses Fairness After US Social Media Directive on Visa Screening

India Responds to New US Visa Rules, Emphasises Merit-Based Evaluation.

India has urged the United States to evaluate visa applications from Indian nationals based on merit, in response to newly issued US guidelines that require applicants to disclose their social media activity.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made the statement on Thursday after the US Embassy updated its visa requirements, mandating applicants to submit their social media identifiers from the past five years as part of the screening process.

“Visa and immigration matters pertain to the sovereign functions of any country. However, we have taken note of the new guidelines issued by the US Embassy, which require the disclosure of social media identifiers,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Jaiswal added that the Indian government is actively engaged with US authorities on consular issues and continues to work to protect the interests of Indian nationals abroad.

What’s Changing Under the New US Visa Rule?
The updated rules apply to applicants for F (academic student), M (vocational student), and J (exchange visitor) non-immigrant visas. Under the new directive, applicants must:

• Set their social media accounts to “public” visibility
• Provide all usernames or “social media identifiers” used across platforms over the past five years
• Submit this information as part of the DS-160 visa application form
• Failure to comply may result in visa rejection or future ineligibility.

According to the US Embassy, the increased scrutiny is intended to verify applicants’ identities and assess eligibility under US immigration law. While the requirement to disclose social media handles has existed since 2019, the enforcement appears to have intensified under tightened immigration policies first introduced during the Trump administration.

The policy shift has triggered protests in cities like Los Angeles, with critics raising concerns about privacy, profiling, and potential misuse of personal data.