- By Surarika Das
- Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:22 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
H-1BVisa: The US is likely to tighten its visa screening rules from March 30. The consulate will bring H-1B applicants along with other significant visa categories under stricter checks that include reviewing social media activity, the State Department said.
The new process would apply to a group of non-immigrant visas handled at US consulates abroad. The visa categories include A-3, C-3 domestic workers, G-5, H-3 trainees, H-4 dependents of H-3, and K visas, as well as Q, R, S, T, and U categories.
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According to the officials, the move is a part of an effort to use more data when making visa decisions. “The Department uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security or public safety. We thoroughly screen every candidate for a visa," they stated.
The significant change rests on measures already introduced for student and exchange visas (F, M, J) in June 2025 and for H-1B workers and their dependents in December 2025.
According to the updated system, applicants will need to make their social media accounts public. H.
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According to an official statement, the department said that to facilitate this vetting process, all applicants for A-3; C-3 (if a domestic worker); G-5; H-3; H-4 dependents of H-3; K-1, K-2, and K-3; Q; R-1 and R-2; S, T, and U; H-1B; H-4; F; M; and J non-immigrant visas are required to set their social media accounts to “public” or “open.”
Applicants mentioned in the above categories would undergo online footprint checks as a part of the US visa process at the American consulates across the world.
The department emphasised the security component, stating that each decision about a visa is a matter of national security. "The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those seeking admission do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission."
Previously, the US Department of Labor had pitched new rules to raise minimum salary requirements for foreign workers under visa programmes like H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM.
The proposal stresses increasing the “prevailing wage,” which employers must pay foreign workers. The plan updates the current four-level wage system, unchanged for over 20 years, by raising each level to higher salary percentiles. The move may increase average wages by about $14,000 per job annually.