Visa and immigration policy: Enhanced vetting of visa applications
A sign outside the US consulate in Wuhan, China. Consulates and embassies around the world are responsible for processing applications for visas to visit, study, and work in the US.
US State Department.
Social media screening implemented to inform visa denials
On the first day of his second administration, President Trump issued an executive order calling for more stringent vetting procedures for foreign nationals petitioning for, and who already have, US visas.1 On April 9, 2025, and June 18, 2025, respectively, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department responded by implementing social media screening to ensure recipients of student and exchange visas do not have connections or affinities that, in the administration’s view, are hostile toward the US or its national interests. The DHS statement specifically indicated it would seek evidence of “antisemitism” and support for terrorist organizations.2
In addition, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on May 28, 2025 that all visa applications from China and Hong Kong would be subjected to “enhanced scrutiny,” and also that the department would seek to “aggressively revoke” the visas of many students from China.3 However, a corresponding press statement was later removed from the State Department’s website.4
In December 2025, the Trump administration further proposed to require all individuals eligible for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to submit to enhanced social media screening.4 ESTA is used for countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows foreign nationals from those countries to travel to the US for tourism or business without a visa for up to 90 days.5 The public comment period on the proposal closed on February 9, 2026.
References
- Executive order 14161, “Protecting the United States from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats,” January 20, 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-02009.
- USCIS, “DHS to begin screening aliens’ social media activity for antisemitism,” April 9. 2025, https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-to-begin-screening-aliens-social-media-activity-for-antisemitism; and State Department, “Announcement of expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants,” June 18, 2025, https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants. The State Department screening requirements initially applied to applicants for F, M, and J visas, but in December 2025 they were expanded to applicants for H-1B and H-4 (spouse of H-1B applicants) visas, State Department, “Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for H-1B and Dependent H-4 Visa Applicants,” December 3, 2025, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-h-1b-and-dependent-h-4-visa-applicants.html.
- Mitch Ambrose, “US to ‘aggressively revoke’ visas held by Chinese students,” FYI, May 30, 2025, https://www.aip.org/fyi/us-to-aggressively-revoke-visas-held-by-chinese-students.
- For an archived copy, see https://web.archive.org/web/20250530023747/https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/05/new-visa-policies-put-america-first-not-china/.
- 90 FR 57208, December 10, 2025.
Cite this resource
AIP Policy Research, “Enhanced vetting of visa applications,” Visa and immigration policy guide, American Institute of Physics, 2026, https://www.aip.org/research/visa-immigration/enhanced-visa-vetting.
Last updated
March 4, 2026