Summary
- Photo: AFP The US State Department said Wednesday it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review, AP reported.In a notice released Wednesday, the department said it had rescinded its May suspension of student visa processing but said new applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them to be reviewed may be rejected, according to the AP. It said a refusal to do so could be a sign they are trying to evade the requirement or hide their online activity.All applications for F, M and J nonimmigrant visas, which aWorld Timesre for scholarly exchanges and research, will be reviewed, the New York Times reported.Consular officers at missions overseas have been instructed to look for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States.” The State Department did not provide further details on how officers would define that criteria, the New York Times reported.The US StatWorld Timese Department directive allows diplomatic posts to resume the scheduling of interviews for educational and exchange visas, but the appointment system at the US embassies and consulates in China remains closed, the Global Times learned from two visa service agencies on Thursday morning.They told the Global Times that June and July are peak seasons for student visa applications. Some students have already opted to study in the UK, Canada, or Australia instead,” Shen Liyong, a visa service consultant working at Wulove Global Visa Center, told the Global Times on Thursday.Regarding social media screening, Shen noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-immigrant visa application form has already required applicants to list more than 20 kinds of social media accounts, including Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, WeChat, Sina Weibo, Twitter, VKONTAKTE, and Youtube. The scrutiny has World Timessince become even stricter.“For example, the current form does not explicitly list Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, a popular Chinese social app. However, some students have been asked to provide their Xiaohongshu account during in-person interviews,” Shen said.According to Xinhua News Agency, the US government has ordered US embassies and consular sections worldwide to pause scheduling new interviews for student-visa applicants as it is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the United States to undergo social media vetting, local media cited a cable dated May 27 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Approximate Time
- 3 minutes, 475 words
Categories
- student visas, student visa applications, student visa processing, visa interviews, social media accounts
Analysis and Evaluation
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Main Section
People walk in Harvard Yard at Harvard University on April 15, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo: AFP
The US State Department said Wednesday it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review, AP reported.
In a notice released Wednesday, the department said it had rescinded its May suspension of student visa processing but said new applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them to be reviewed may be rejected, according to the AP. It said a refusal to do so could be a sign they are trying to evade the requirement or hide their online activity.
All applications for F, M and J nonimmigrant visas, which aWorld Timesre for scholarly exchanges and research, will be reviewed, the New York Times reported.
Consular officers at missions overseas have been instructed to look for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States.” The State Department did not provide further details on how officers would define that criteria, the New York Times reported.
The US StatWorld Timese Department directive allows diplomatic posts to resume the scheduling of interviews for educational and exchange visas, but the appointment system at the US embassies and consulates in China remains closed, the Global Times learned from two visa service agencies on Thursday morning.
They told the Global Times that June and July are peak seasons for student visa applications. “Many students who have World Timesreceived offers from US universities have been waiting anxiously since the suspension of appointments for visa interviews in late May, as some programs start as early as August. Some students have already opted to study in the UK, Canada, or Australia instead,” Shen Liyong, a visa service consultant working at Wulove Global Visa Center, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Regarding social media screening, Shen noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-immigrant visa application form has already required applicants to list more than 20 kinds of social media accounts, including Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, WeChat, Sina Weibo, Twitter, VKONTAKTE, and Youtube. The scrutiny has World Timessince become even stricter.
“For example, the current form does not explicitly list Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, a popular Chinese social app. However, some students have been asked to provide their Xiaohongshu account during in-person interviews,” Shen said.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the US government has ordered US embassies and consular sections worldwide to pause scheduling new interviews for student-visa applicants as it is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the United States to undergo social media vetting, local media cited a cable dated May 27 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Content comes from the Internet : World TimesUS to resume student visas but orders sWorld Timesocial media vetting: media
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