US visa rule asks for public profile
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians applying for student or exchange programme visas to the United States must now ensure their social media profiles are publicly viewable.
This came following an updated vetting requirement announced by the US Department of State.
According to a statement by the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, this new requirement applies to all applicants under the F (academic students), M (vocational or technical training) and J (exchange programme participants) non-immigrant visa categories.
'All applicants for F, M and J non-immigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to public,' the embassy said.
It added that the change was aimed at facilitating comprehensive screening procedures.
The embassy said social media presence was now part of the vetting process to help US authorities verify an applicant's identity and determine eligibility.
'We use available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants, who are inadmissible to the US, including those who pose a threat to national security,' it said.
The embassy reiterated that obtaining a US visa was a privilege and not a right, and that each application was treated as a national security decision.
The US Department of State also announced it would soon resume scheduling appointments for F, M and J visa applications after a temporary pause in late May.
Prospective applicants are advised to check the official embassy or consulate websites for appointment availability.
The update builds upon a 2019 requirement for visa applicants to provide their social media identifiers as part of the application process.
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