The US government has expanded screening and vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/donald-trump-signs-bill-to-end-record-43-day-us-govt-shutdown-blames-democrats-for-extortion-23603113" rel="nofollow">directing</a> them to keep the privacy settings on all their social media profiles set to "public".
In a new order issued Wednesday, the State Department said beginning December 15, a review of the online presence for all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be conducted.
Students and exchange visitors were already subject to such scrutiny, which has now been extended to include those applying for H-1B and H-4 visas.
"To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public', the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/us-news/" rel="nofollow">State Department</a> said.
Underscoring that a US visa is a privilege and not a right, the department said it uses all available information in screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible or pose a threat to America's national security or public safety.
"Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," it said.
The department said the US must be vigilant to ensure applicants do not intend to harm Americans and that all visa applicants credibly establish eligibility and intent to comply with the terms of their admission.
The directive is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to tighten immigration rules.
The administration has launched a massive crackdown to check abuse of the H-1B visa programme, used largely by US technology companies to hire foreign workers.
Indian professionals, including<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/video/us-government-shutdown-senate-passes-bill-bipartisan-deal-record-shutdown-ends-federal-funding-bill-congress-votes-to-reopen-government-trump-government-shutdown-senate-compromise-shutdown-2025-bipartisan-1079579" rel="nofollow"> tech workers</a> and physicians, form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.
In September, US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation, titled 'Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers', imposing a one-time USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas, an order that could significantly impact Indian workers seeking temporary employment in the US.
Separately, Washington has also paused with immediate effect Green Card, US citizenship and other immigration applications for people hailing from 19 countries of concern, following the shooting of National Guard soldiers by an Afghan national.
A policy memorandum issued Tuesday directs the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to place on hold, effective immediately, all asylum applications, regardless of the immigrant's country of nationality, pending a comprehensive review.
The pause also applies to all immigration applications from nationals of 19 <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/us-govt-shutdown-forces-some-overseas-bases-to-stop-paying-workers-23602352" rel="nofollow">countries</a> previously covered by the administration's travel ban.
These countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The applications will be on hold "pending a comprehensive review, regardless of entry date", the directive said.
The new guidance follows the shooting of US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and US Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24.
Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/us-congress-passes-funding-bill-to-end-record-43-day-govt-shutdown-trump-to-sign-from-oval-office-23602959" rel="nofollow">Trump </a>said Thursday during a Thanksgiving call with service members, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.
The accused, Lakanwal, 29, had entered the US through 'Operation Allies Welcome', a Biden-era programme for Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban takeover in 2021.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

The US government has expanded screening and vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, directing them to keep the privacy settings 

US orders H-1B, H-4 visa applicants to make social media public profiles

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The US has ordered H-1B and H-4 visa applicants to keep all social media profiles public for enhanced vetting, expanding its immigration scrutiny under the Trump administration 

Trump admin orders H-1B, H-4 visa applicants to make social media profiles public

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