The US Department of State has instructed its embassies and consulates worldwide to review the publicly visible social-media activity of all applicants for F, M and J non-immigrant visas – the categories used for academic study, vocational courses and exchange programmes. A directive circulated on 25 June says applicants must switch every social-media account to “public” before attending interviews, allowing consular officers to conduct what the department calls a “comprehensive and thorough” assessment of an applicant’s online presence and attitudes toward the United States. Embassies in Brazil and Portugal were among the first to publish the new guidance, emphasising that “a US visa is a privilege, not a right.” The State Department says the measure will help identify threats to national security or evidence of hostility toward US citizens, culture or institutions. Applicants have been required since 2019 to list their social-media handles, but the latest step goes further by demanding unfettered access to content rather than usernames alone. The tougher screening comes as the United States hosts a record 1 million foreign students and as consular officers face rising rejection rates—41 percent of F-1 visa applications were refused last year. Student-mobility advisers warn that making personal profiles public could chill online speech and raise privacy concerns, but the department has not indicated any plans to reconsider the policy.