The US Embassy in Dhaka has issued a notice requesting all Bangladeshi applicants seeking F, M, or J category nonimmigrant visas to adjust the privacy settings on their social media accounts to "public" for vetting purposes.
According to the announcement, this requirement applies to all students and exchange participants intending to travel to the United States for academic or cultural programs.
The instruction aims to facilitate the identity verification and admissibility assessment process during visa processing.
The F visa is typically issued to academic students, M visas to vocational students, and J visas to exchange visitors participating in government-approved programs.
The embassy emphasized that making social media profiles public will help consular officers conduct necessary background checks efficiently and avoid delays in the visa application process.
This move aligns with broader US immigration protocols that consider social media activity as part of enhanced security screenings.
Applicants are advised to comply with the instruction before their visa interview to ensure smoother processing.
