US resumes student visas but mandates full access to social media accounts

The US State Department announced on June 18, 2025, that it is resuming the processing of student visas for foreign nationals. However, a new policy now requires all applicants to grant full access to their social media accounts as part of an expanded vetting process.The department’s move follows a month-long suspension of visa interview scheduling, which aimed to prepare consular staff for the new screening procedures. As reported by the Associated Press, applicants who refuse to make their accounts public or deny access could be denied entry into the US. Officials stated that refusal to comply may be interpreted as an attempt to conceal online activity or evade national security protocols.Screening for anti-US sentiment and ideologyIn its public notice, the State Department said consular officers will examine posts and messages for any signs of hostility toward US culture, government, institutions, or founding values. The guidance instructs visa officials to carefully screen applicants for ideological leanings and political speech that could be considered a threat to US interests. As quoted by the Associated Press, the department stated this policy “will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.

”This shift has raised serious concerns among civil liberties advocates. Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said the policy resembles Cold War-era ideological vetting. “This policy makes a censor of every consular officer, and it will inevitably chill legitimate political speech both inside and outside the United States,” Jaffer said, as reported by the Associated Press.Foreign students still face prioritization and quotasThough student visa processing has resumed, the State Department instructed US consulates to prioritize applicants planning to attend universities where foreign students make up less than 15% of the student body. According to the Associated Press, this could impact nearly 200 institutions, including all eight Ivy League schools and 26 public universities such as the University of Illinois and Pennsylvania State University.The Trump administration has been pushing to cap foreign student enrollment, especially at elite institutions like Harvard University, which relies on international students for both enrollment numbers and tuition revenue. Trump has previously argued that such schools should limit their foreign student populations to 15%.Students globally express relief and concernThe decision to resume visa appointments brought relief to many waiting students. One 27-year-old Chinese Ph.D. student in Toronto secured a visa interview and told the Associated Press, “I’m really relieved… I’ve been refreshing the website couple of times every day.”

Still, the balance between national security and academic freedom continues to stir debate as the new policy takes effect.