On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that “overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applications soon.” However, new guidance on comprehensive screening has been implemented to include reviews of online presence. The DOS states that “all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public.'” Exchange visitors should be prepared for their social media profiles to be examined as part of the visa application process.

Applicants should check the website of the relevant U.S. Embassy or Consulate for the latest appointment availability and instructions. Expect possible delays or limited appointment availability as visa services resume. Many embassies and consulates may experience backlogs due to high demand following the restart of F, M, and J visa processing. Planning ahead and applying early is strongly advised.

You can find the official announcement from the U.S. Department of State here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants/