The U.S. foreign student visa system—which was frozen in February 2025—has officially been reinstated, but with strict new stipulations. Under guidance issued this week by the State Department, international students must now make all of their social media profiles public if they want to enter the country on education or exchange visas.

The updated policy applies to F, M, and J visa categories, which cover academic programs, vocational training, and cultural exchange initiatives. Diplomats are now directed to perform a full “online presence review” before granting a visa.

“It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer,” said a senior State Department official. “Secretary Marco Rubio is helping make America and its universities safer while bringing the State Department into the 21st century.”

According to a diplomatic cable obtained by Politico, consular officials are instructed to look for signs of anti-American sentiment, support for foreign terrorist groups, and antisemitic harassment or violence. Those who refuse to make their accounts public will be flagged as potentially hiding information.

The US visa social media rules for students have stirred concern among civil liberties groups and educators, who say it could suppress political speech—particularly around U.S. foreign policy and ongoing protests tied to the war in Gaza.

This move comes after the Trump administration halted visa interviews and paused processing in early 2025 to reassess vetting procedures. During that time, some exchange program funds were also temporarily frozen, disrupting scholarships and delaying travel for thousands of students worldwide.

With the freeze lifted, the government says the enhanced checks are necessary.

“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M and J non-immigrant visas will be asked to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to ‘public’,” the official stated. “The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.”

The policy echoes previous actions that targeted Chinese students for extra scrutiny amid tensions over technology, minerals, and trade negotiations. Experts say the US visa social media rules for students may have a chilling effect on campus expression.

The move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to crack down on perceived threats to national security—even if they arrive in the form of tweets, Instagram stories, or protest videos.