The Trump administration has stopped interviews at embassies with people wishing to apply for student and exchange visas to the United States, in order to implement more thorough social media vetting.
According to a memo sent to diplomatic outposts by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, all interviews with candidates have been paused “until further guidance is issued.”
Visa applicants have been providing social media account links on forms since 2019, but it’s unclear what this new vetting protocol is looking for – possibly deeper checks on whether applicants hold antisemitic or pro-Palestinian views.
