The United States is expanding its online presence review for some visa applicants, with the new requirement covering I, TN and TD nonimmigrant visa categories from October 1, 2026.
The U.S. Department of State announced the change on September 18, saying applicants in these categories will be required to set the privacy settings of their social media profiles to “public” or “open” in order to support the visa screening and vetting process.
The change will affect various groups of foreign nationals looking to enter the United States temporarily. The I visa is used by foreign media representatives and industry professionals working in press, radio, film and other information-media fields. The TN category covers eligible professionals from Canada and Mexico who wish to be admitted to the United States as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The TD category is for some dependents of TN professionals.
As part of the new policy, I, TN and TD visa applicants will be instructed to make their social media profiles publicly accessible. The State Department said the measure was intended to facilitate its online presence review as part of the visa screening process.
The department says it uses information in the screening and vetting process to determine if applicants are inadmissible, such as on national security and public-safety grounds.
The latest expansion is part of a larger U.S. policy of incorporating online presence reviews in visa processing. The State Department had already extended such reviews to several other nonimmigrant categories during 2026. This includes some diplomatic and official visa applicants, temporary workers and trainees, exchange visitors, fiancé and dependent categories, religious workers and certain applicants who are associated with witnesses, informants and victims. Student and exchange-visitor categories had also previously been reviewed online.
The department has also previously required social media identifiers from most U.S. visa applicants worldwide. U.S. visa application forms have since 2019 asked for social media identifiers as part of the information collected during the application process. The information is used in order to improve identity verification and screening, the State Department has said.
For journalists applying under the I category, the change is particularly relevant as the visa classification is designed for representatives of foreign media who are travelling temporarily to the United States for professional activities.
The State Department says I visa applicants may include journalists working for foreign media organisations and certain professionals involved in press, radio, film and other information-media activities.
TN applicants and their dependents will also be covered by the expanded requirement. The TN classification is the designation of eligible Canadian and Mexican professionals entering the United States for qualifying employment, and TD status applies to certain spouses and children accompanying or following TN professionals.
The State Department has stressed that visa adjudication involves determining an applicant's eligibility under U.S. law. The department refers to visa issuance as discretionary and says applicants must establish that they qualify for the visa category they are seeking and intend to comply with the terms of admission.
The October 1 change adds another element to the visa application process for I, TN and TD applicants. Those applying in these categories should be aware of the new online presence review requirement as they prepare their applications. This is not only the case for journalists: there are also professionals who are looking to get TN visas and dependents who are applying for TD visas.
The expansion reflects the growing importance of digital information in U.S. visa screening. With the latest categories added from October 1, applicants in the I, TN and TD categories will be part of the larger group of individuals who will be evaluated online for their presence during the visa application process.
