By Arizona’s Family
The U.S. State Department has halted scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the U.S. while it prepares to expand screening of activity on social media, officials said.
A U.S. official said Tuesday that the suspension is intended to be temporary and does not apply to applicants who already scheduled their visa interviews. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration document.
During President Donald Trump’s first term in office, he stepped up scrutiny of visa applicants, including reviewing social media accounts. That policy did remain during President Joe Biden’s administration.
A local immigration attorney, Darius Amiri, says foreign students have to fill out a specific form and give their social media handles. Amiri says the review of social media accounts has changed what people post online and how they represent themselves.
