The U.S. State Department introduced a sweeping new requirement that all applicants for F‑, M‑, and J‑type nonimmigrant visas—including students, exchange visitors, and vocational trainees—must disclose their social media account names used over the past five years and set those profiles to public. Consular officers across U.S. embassies will review these accounts to verify identities and screen for any signs of hostility towards the United States, support for terrorism, antisemitic content, or harassment. This updated directive was revealed in a June State Department cable and confirmed by embassies in multiple countries.
In Central and Eastern Europe, where large numbers of students, professionals, and cultural exchange participants apply annually, embassies in Warsaw, Budapest, Prague, Bratislava, and other capitals have begun instructing visa seekers to adjust privacy settings on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Issuing guidance states that failure to comply may be interpreted as concealment and could result in visa denial or future ineligibility .
The policy aims to bolster national security by expanding traditional vetting processes into digital spaces. According to the State Department, the review aims to detect any indication of intent against U.S. interests or associations with extremist ideologies.. However, civil liberties groups in the region are voicing concerns that the requirement infringes on privacy, freedom of speech, and could deter honest expression. Some advocates argue that requiring public account access compresses the margin for error and disproportionately affects young people who may post political commentary or cultural content reflecting regional perspectives.
In practice, applicants from Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Romania, and other Central and Eastern European nations have been advised to ensure their social media profiles are visible to consular officers. While passwords and direct messages are not requested, applicants are cautioned that even deleted posts may be archived or visible. Public commentary reflecting criticism of U.S. policies, religious or geopolitical stances, even distant from extremism, is being scrutinised.
Despite this intensive vetting, there has been no significant drop in applications from the region yet. In contrast, Ireland and the UK—which have long-standing exchange relationships with the U.S.—have seen a slight decline in visa issuances and an increase in public outcry. In Central Europe, applicants so far appear cautiously compliant, though anxiety is rising among students and exchange programme participants about how their online history might affect their chances .
Critics warn that this requirement creates a chilling effect on personal expression, raising the prospect that travellers may self-censor their online activity or temporarily delete accounts. They note that this trend marks a shift from vetting content to vetting character and viewpoints. Some universities and cultural programmes are already preparing guidance to help applicants navigate this ambiguity, advising them to audit their digital footprint and remove any content likely to be misinterpreted.
Overall, this new measure underscores the increasing centrality of online presence in immigration screening and signals that digital transparency will be a factor in U.S. border and security policy moving forward. For Central and Eastern Europeans, adapting to these requirements means balancing privacy, expression, and the ambition to study, work, and travel in the United States.
