# US may vet foreign journalists’ social media for visas 2026-08-10T06:01:15+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The United States plans to expand social media screening to foreign journalists seeking visas, according to an internal State Department memo reported by Reuters and The Daily Signal. The proposed vetting would examine applicants' online presence to determine if they meet US visa requirements, adding another layer of scrutiny for international reporters. The State Department declined to confirm the memo's contents but said it screens foreign nationals 'to the maximum extent possible' for security risks. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has introduced fixed periods of stay for I visas (foreign journalists), F visas (students) and J visas (exchange visitors), taking effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The changes are significant for Indians, who form the largest international student community in the US with 3,63,019 enrolments in 2024-25, ahead of China's 2,65,919, as per Institute of International Education data cited by Times Now. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: foreign journalists, I visa rules, Indian students, social media vetting, Trump administration, US visa policy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/us-may-vet-foreign-journalists-social-media-for-visas/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/us-may-vet-foreign-journalists-social-media-for-visas/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.