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 facilitate screening.
We also understand 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 “activities such as misinformation, disinformation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others.”
The following bullets represent a summary of the new policy:
- 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: 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.