US Tightens Visa Requirements for Pakistanis, Demands Public Social Media Accounts

Washington: The U.S. government has imposed stricter visa requirements on Pakistani citizens applying for student and exchange program categories. According to new guidelines issued by the U.S. Consulates in Karachi and Lahore, applicants are now required to make their social media accounts “public” to allow U.S. authorities to conduct identity and security checks.
These instructions, released on Instagram, are an extension of guidelines previously issued by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi earlier this week. The statement clarified, “All individuals applying for F, M, or J category non-immigrant visas must set their social media account privacy settings to ‘public’ so their identity and eligibility for entry into the U.S. can be verified.”
Since 2019, the U.S. has been requesting social media information (account handles) from all visa applicants. However, this new requirement is now being strictly enforced. Authorities warned that failure to provide social media information or providing false details could lead to visa denial and future ineligibility.
F and M visas are issued for admission to U.S. academic institutions, while J visas are designated for participants in exchange programs.
This move is part of the Trump administration’s policy aimed at tightening the student visa system and enhancing security checks.