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Should be treated on merit: India on U.S. social media rule for visas
"We remain engaged with the US side on all mobility and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian nationals are safeguarded,” MEA said.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 26, Jun 2025
- 11:43 EDT
- 28
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Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal / MEA
India declared that merit should be the determining factor for evaluating visa applications submitted by its citizens, following a notice from the United States Embassy that requested applicants to provide social media information.
“It is our belief that all visa applications of Indian nationals should be treated on the basis of merit,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a weekly briefing on June 26.
Also Read: US mandates public social media rule for student visas
“Visa matters, immigration matters—these pertain to the sovereign functions of any country. That said, we have seen the guidelines issued by the US Embassy here and by the US government regarding the provision of social media identifiers in visa applications,” he added. “We remain engaged with the US side on all mobility and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian nationals are safeguarded.”
Social media scrutiny
The U.S. Embassy in India announced on June 23 that, effective immediately, all applicants under the F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa categories — including students and exchange visitors — must make their personal social media accounts public.
The directive follows a broader U.S. State Department policy update issued on June 18, which called for “comprehensive and thorough vetting” of applicants’ online presence as part of routine background checks.
According to the embassy, “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” and social media activity will be scrutinized for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.”
Failure to comply may be interpreted as an attempt to conceal information and could result in denial of the visa.
Impact on Indian applicants
India is among the largest sources of international students in the U.S., with over 268,000 Indian students enrolled in American institutions in 2023. The latest policy change is expected to impact thousands of prospective applicants in India.
The United States began collecting social media identifiers from most visa applicants in 2019 under enhanced vetting measures introduced during the Trump administration.
Indians make up nearly 10 percent of global U.S. visa applicants, with a significant presence in student, H-1B, and exchange categories. As of January 2025, over five million Indians hold valid U.S. visas.
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