The United States has begun expanded social media screening of H-1B visa applicants and their family members, a move that immigration experts say is already leading to an increase in “prudential” visa revocations, even in cases where there are no criminal convictions.According to immigration attorney Emily Neumann, prudential visa revocations for H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents are rising, including situations where applicants had prior interactions with law enforcement that were disclosed and cleared during earlier visa processing. 

The development follows a new directive from the US State Department requiring all H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependent visa holders to make their social media profiles public for review. The order also applies to applicants under the F, M and J non-immigrant visa categories.

“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B visas and their dependents under the H-4 category, as well as F, M and J non-immigrant visas, are required to set the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to ‘public’,” the State Department said.

Lawyers Flag Rise In ‘Prudential’ Revocations

Neumann said many of the cases triggering revocation had already been vetted earlier. “A revocation does not affect lawful stay in the United States, but it means the issue will be re-examined at the next visa appointment,” she said, questioning whether repeated reviews were an efficient use of government resources. 

According to Reddy Neumann Brown PC, a Houston-based immigration law firm, a prudential visa revocation is a temporary and precautionary cancellation of a visa by the Department of State. It is carried out when authorities suspect a possible eligibility issue but have not reached a final determination.

Such revocations are not punitive and do not affect a person’s legal status in the US, but they can create uncertainty by requiring re-examination at future visa appointments.

ALSO READ: 'Absolute Bloodbath': October 7 Attack Survivor Injured In Shooting At Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah Event

Part Of Broader Immigration Tightening

The enhanced screening follows earlier expansion of social media vetting to student visas. US authorities have stressed that visa screening is a continuous process. 

In September, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” describing it as an initial step toward overhauling the H-1B programme. The administration also proposed a one-time $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas, a move expected to affect Indian professionals significantly. 

Washington has also paused green card, citizenship and other immigration applications from nationals of 19 “countries of concern” following a recent security incident. Aall asylum applications have been placed on hold pending comprehensive review, highlighting a tougher approach to immigration vetting across categories.

ALSO READ: Bondi Beach Shooting Declared Terror Attack After 12 Killed In Gunfire At Jewish Event; Suspect Details And Key Updates