https://www.businessinsider.com/us-to-review-h-1b-applicants-social-media-state-dept-2025-12 Subscribe Newsletters [ ] Search Business Strategy Economy Finance Retail Advertising Careers Media Real Estate Small Business The Better Work Project Personal Finance Tech Science AI Enterprise Transportation Startups Innovation Markets Stocks Indices Commodities Crypto Currencies ETFs Lifestyle Entertainment Culture Travel Food Health Parenting Politics Military & Defense Law Education Reviews Black Friday Home Kitchen Style Streaming Pets Tech Deals Gifts Tickets Video Big Business Food Wars So Expensive Still Standing Boot Camp Subscribe My account Log in Newsletters US edition Deutschland & Osterreich Espana Japan Polska TW Quan Qiu Zhong Wen Ban Get the app Economy The US will now review H-1B applicants' social media -- and require them to make profiles public, State Department says By Thibault Spirlet You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. Follow New Follow authors and never miss a story! Thibault [64da03c51f] Follow Thibault Spirlet Every time Thibault publishes a story, you'll get an alert straight to your inbox! Enter your email [ ] Sign up By clicking "Sign up", you agree to receive emails from Business Insider. In addition, you accept Insider's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Donald Trump signing executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on September 19, 2025. [ ] The US will require H-1B applicants to make their social media public for visa vetting, a State Department spokesperson said. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images 2025-12-04T13:06:53.782Z Share Facebook Email X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky WhatsApp Copy link An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved Read in app Add us on This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. * The US will review H-1B applicants' social media, a State Dept official told Business Insider. * Applicants must make all social media profiles public so that consular officers can review them. * Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications in September. The US will soon require H-1B visa applicants to make their social-media profiles public so consular officers can review their online activity, a State Department spokesperson told Business Insider. Beginning December 15, consular officers worldwide will conduct "online presence reviews" for all applicants in the H-1B specialty-occupation category, along with their H-4 dependents, the spokesperson said. The policy, which the department described as part of the Trump administration's focus on "protecting our nation and our citizens," marks one of the broadest expansions of digital vetting ever applied to foreign workers. Applicants will be instructed to adjust their privacy settings to "public" across all social-media platforms, ensuring officers can access posts, networks, employment information, and other digital activity. The agency already conducts similar reviews for foreign students and exchange visitors in certain categories. However, the new directive extends this practice to one of the most widely used visa pathways in the US labor market. "A US visa is a privilege, not a right," the spokesperson said. "In every visa case, we will take the time necessary to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States." The spokesperson declined to comment on reports of an internal State Department cable outlining additional vetting criteria, but confirmed that the new policy will apply globally to applicants "of all nationalities." Crackdown on the H-1B program The move deepens a broader overhaul of the H-1B system under President Donald Trump. Trump signed an executive order in September imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, a move that sent Silicon Valley scrambling and left employers warning foreign workers not to travel. That policy -- aimed at curbing what the administration called "abuses" of the system -- has been met with confusion, fierce criticism, and an ongoing legal challenge, saying the president lacks authority to impose such fees. The program allows US employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers in fields such as engineering, software development, biotech, and finance -- industries where companies often rely heavily on international talent. Major firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Apple, Intel, and Nvidia, collectively sponsor tens of thousands of H-1B roles each year. Do you have information about the State Department cable referenced in this story? Email tspirlet@insider.com. 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