As of December 15, 2025 Department of State announced it will expand the requirement that an online presence review be conducted for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, in addition to the students and exchange visitors already subject to this review. To assist with this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), as well as F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to “public.”
It can be anticipated that if an applicant’s online presence is found to contain information perceived by the government as derogatory, more extensive security screening may be triggered, resulting in increased delays and possible visa refusal.
U.S. consulates have started canceling and rescheduling some visa appointments scheduled on or after Dec. 15, 2025, when the new vetting protocol goes into effect. We have heard of such rescheduling at US consulates in India, Ireland and Vietnam, to date. We are hearing reports that many applicants have had their visa appointments postponed until March 2026 or later. This new trend is expected to expand, likely affecting a growing number of consular posts and leading to extended wait times for new visa appointments across various nonimmigrant categories.