The current version Form DS-160, the standard online application used by individuals to apply for a nonimmigrant visa, includes a "social media" question. The question requires applicants to use a drop-down list to indicate the social media platforms that they have used during the five years preceding their visa application, and to provide any identifiers or handles they used on those platforms. Also, applicants should set their social media profiles to public before their visa interview appointment and leave them set to public until their visa has been issued.

On June 18, 2025, the State Department announced that expanded screening and vetting would apply to visa applicants. While the expanded screening should apply to only F/M/J visa applicants, it is possible that applicants for other visas may experience something similar.

According to a State Department cable obtained by media outlets, the State Department has instructed consular officers to conduct "intake and interviews in accordance with standard procedures" and then, once they "determine an F/M/J applicant is otherwise eligible for the requested nonimmigrant status," they must:

• Refuse the case under INA 221(g)
• "Inform the applicant that their case is refused and requires additional administrative processing to establish his eligibility for the visa"

After the visa interview, the consular officer will conduct the required screening. This will probably take between one and two weeks. The screening could include checking for:

• Evidence of support for foreign terrorist organizations or support or participation in antisemitic harassment or violence
• Expressions of “hostile attitudes toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States”
• Evidence of illegal activity
• Evidence of previous immigration status violations such as unauthorized employment
• Inconsistencies; for example a LinkedIn profile that does not match the information entered in the DS-160.

Assuming that the screening does not raise any concerns, the visa will be approved and the applicant will be able to pick up their passport and visa.

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Click here for a list of potential questions the US Consular Officer may ask you.

Departments can find a sample travel letter here.

All individuals who apply at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad for a U.S. entry or re-entry visa are screened before the visa is issued, regardless of nationality. After the events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. Department of State is especially strict and requires consulates to comply with pre-visa clearances on all cases, with no exceptions.

The consular post conducts an initial review of the application and interviews the applicant about his/her planned activity in the U.S. It is at this initial stage that clear and concise information about the scholar's teaching, research, or other activity should be explained. In most cases, the visa is issued within a matter of days or weeks. However, in some cases it is decided that further checks are needed.

Issues that may cause problems or delays in the visa application process:

• The applicant has not spelled his/her name consistently on all documents (passport, visa application, supporting documentation). This can cause delays and confusion. The name given on the visa application and supporting documentation should be exactly the same as the name listed in the passport.
• The applicant has not read and followed the tips and guidance on the website of the U.S. consular post having jurisdiction over the visa application; this can cause delays or denial. The consular post cannot understand the kind of work the person is doing and officers cannot assess the risk/benefit of granting the person a visa. A security clearance will likely be requested if the field is unclear.
• The applicant is from a country considered to pose a risk or is working in a field that is considered "sensitive" in some way.
• There are other individuals with the same or similar names. The consulate must rule out any incidents and clear up any "hits" the Consular Lookout (CLASS) system reveals on the name(s) in question.

The consular officer may tell the individual that a security advisory opinion (SAO) is needed and that he/she will be notified when it has been completed. In most cases, security clearances are completed within 30 days; however, there is no set time frame. The U.S. Department of State will neither discuss nor reveal the reason for a security advisory opinion on a particular case.

The consular post asks the Department of State in Washington, D.C. to initiate the process of requesting clearances from various government agencies and databases including the FBI, CIA, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Asset Control, Interpol, the national criminal and law enforcement databases, the DOS Bureau of Non-Proliferation, and others. The Bureau of Non-Proliferation is concerned with technology transfer and other issues. This bureau considers lasers, satellites, and many other technologies that people study and research at Temple University to be "sensitive" technologies with possibly risky applications or at risk of being exported. Satellites are considered "munitions." It is important to understand this in order to understand why Temple University researchers are subject to these clearances. 

Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done to speed up Security checks. However, please report the delay to the ISSS in case any forms need to be updated.

Congressional offices are unable to help expedite visa issuance. The Department of State considers this to be a matter of national security and will not circumvent the security advisory opinion process under any circumstances. However, a combination of efforts on the part of congressional representatives, institutions such as Temple University, and higher education associations has resulted in high-level awareness of the problems and there are on-going efforts for improvement 

Temple University departments, laboratories, and centers should decide on a case-by-case basis how to handle this issue in conjunction with Human Resources. Decisions about whether to place someone on unpaid leave, charge vacation days, or terminate employment should be made at the departmental level.

Please notify the ISSS of any such decisions, as they may affect visa documentation that Temple University filed with the Department of Labor and/or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

Yes. All applicants need to fulfill multiple criteria to the satisfaction of the consular officer. The burden of proof lies on the applicant to demonstrate that the documents presented are genuine, the stated objectives are accurate, he/she has adequate financial resources, and he/she intends to return to the home country upon completion of the stated activity (except in the case of H-1B or O-1 applications).