The Department of State announced on Wednesday it’s resuming the student visa application process with an increased focus on screening applicants’ social media.
The agency suspended the student visa application process in May while it weighed new vetting procedures in an effort to restrict foreign radicals who protest in support of terrorist organizations on college campuses. The State Department is now strengthening its screening process for applicants, demanding access to students’ social media accounts to root out those who have shared radical anti-American content.
“The State Department is committed to protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the agency said in a statement announcing the new process. “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right.”
Applicants with private social media accounts will be required to make their accounts public for screening, the department said.
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