US expands social-media screening of visa applicants from October 1 as 250,000 visas revoked

Sweeping changes to US visa screening have taken effect with the start of the new American fiscal year, as the State Department expands social-media reviews to new visa categories and reports that more than 250,000 visas have been revoked since President Donald Trump returned to office.

The measures, which came into force on October 1, touch green-card applicants, existing visa holders and several non-immigrant visa categories.

How the US visa screening expansion works

The centrepiece of the October 1 changes is the extension of online-presence review to three more non-immigrant visa classifications. Applicants for I visas, issued to foreign media representatives, and for TN and TD visas, covering Canadian and Mexican professionals under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and their dependants, must now set all of their social-media profiles to public or open so consular officers can review them.

Announced on September 18, the expansion lets consular officers weigh information from available sources when assessing eligibility and security concerns.

Online vetting began with student and exchange visitors in June 2025, reached H-1B workers that December and widened further in March 2026. The October 1 expansion does not apply to ordinary B1/B2 tourist visas or to travel under the Visa Waiver Programme.

More than 250,000 visas revoked

The department says it has now revoked more than 250,000 visas since the start of the administration, up from 175,000 in August. The cancellations involved breaches of visa conditions, criminal activity, fraud, abuse of the immigration system and national-security concerns, with most cases following encounters with law enforcement.

Around 2,300 were linked to so-called birth tourism, in which foreign nationals travel to the United States to give birth so the child obtains American citizenship. The department has also revoked the visas of 27 current or former officials and their family members from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru over allegations of corruption.

“Every visa decision is a national security decision,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said. “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right, and if you violate the terms of that privilege, you will lose it.”

The administration is also preparing to revoke the visas of as many as 200,000 foreigners who entered on B1 or B2 visas and later applied for asylum.

Green cards and health coverage

The new fiscal year has also reset annual employment-based green-card limits, and some non-citizens face tighter Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programme eligibility.

What it means for Pakistani applicants

For Pakistani applicants, the takeaway is that screening no longer ends when a visa is issued. Under continuous vetting, a holder’s conduct can lead to revocation long after the grant, and social-media history is now an explicit part of adjudication for a growing list of categories. Ordinary tourist visa applicants are not covered by the October 1 expansion, but scrutiny is heavier across the board.

Does the October 1 expansion affect tourist (B1/B2) visa applicants?

No. The new rules cover I visas for foreign media representatives and TN and TD visas for USMCA professionals and their dependants. Ordinary tourist and business visitor visas are not part of this expansion.

Which visa categories already face social-media screening?

Student and exchange visitors on F, M and J visas since June 2025, H-1B workers and H-4 dependants since December 2025, and a further list of categories including K, R, S, T and U visas since March 2026.

What is birth tourism and why are visas being revoked for it?

Birth tourism refers to foreign nationals travelling to the United States with the intention of giving birth so the child obtains American citizenship. The State Department says about 2,300 visa revocations were linked to the practice.

Can a US visa be revoked after it is issued?

Yes. Under continuous vetting, the State Department can revoke a visa if it learns of criminal conduct, fraud, security concerns or abuse of the immigration system after the visa was granted.