US visa: 3 new categories to face mandatory social media screening from October 1

By Felix Uroko

The United States has expanded its social media screening for visa applicants, with three additional nonimmigrant visa categories set to face mandatory online presence checks from October 1, 2026.

The new requirement affects applicants for I, TN and TD visas, who will be required to make their social media profiles publicly accessible to facilitate the screening process.

The US Department of State announced the change in an update issued on September 18, 2026.

Who will be affected?

The new categories cover:

- I visas — foreign media representatives.
- TN visas — eligible professionals from Canada and Mexico under the USMCA.
- TD visas — dependants of TN visa holders.

Applicants in these categories will be expected to adjust the privacy settings of their social media accounts to “public” or “open” for review by consular officers.

The Department of State said the expansion builds on social media screening already applied to several other visa categories.

These include F and M student visas, H temporary worker visas, J exchange visitor visas, K fiancé(e) and spouse visas, R religious worker visas and S, T and U visas, among others.

Why is the US expanding the checks?

The State Department said consular officers use available information during visa screening and vetting to determine whether an applicant may be inadmissible to the United States.

The review is intended to help identify applicants who could pose national security or public safety concerns, according to the department.

«“Every visa adjudication is fundamentally a national security decision,” the department said.»

It added that applicants must demonstrate that they are eligible for the visa they are seeking and intend to comply with the conditions of their admission to the US.

Visa approval remains discretionary

The department also stressed that meeting the requirements for a visa does not automatically guarantee approval.

According to the US government, a visa is a privilege granted at the government’s discretion, rather than an entitlement.

With the latest expansion, applicants in the I, TN and TD categories will join other visa applicants whose online presence may be reviewed as part of the US visa vetting process from October 1.