US visa social media checks just expanded again. Here’s who in Mzansi it affects

US visa social media checks have expanded again, and some South Africans need to pay attention.

From 1 October, more visa applicants must make every social media profile public.

That means consular officers can scroll through your posts before deciding on your visa.

So who in Mzansi is affected?

The newest change affects journalists and media workers most directly.

Students, exchange visitors and skilled workers on certain visas were already covered.

Tourists still have to list their social media accounts, but this latest change doesn’t require them to make those profiles public.

WHAT CHANGED ON 1 OCTOBER

The US Department of State announced the change on 18 September 2026.

The screening now covers three more visa categories: I, TN and TD.

I visas are for foreign media representatives, including journalists.

TN and TD visas are for Canadian and Mexican professionals and their dependents, so they don’t apply to South Africans.

Applicants in these categories must change the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to “public” or “open.”

The department was blunt about it.

A US visa, it said, remains “a privilege granted at the government’s discretion, not an entitlement.”

WHO IS ALREADY BEING SCREENED

This isn’t the first expansion.

According to immigration law firm DiRaimondo & Schroeder, applicants for F, M and J visas have been covered since June 2025.

These visas are for students and exchange visitors.

The J visa covers exchange programmes such as au pair and work-and-travel programmes.

Skilled workers on H-1B visas, and their H-4 dependents, were added in December 2025.

On 30 March 2026, the screening was extended again to fiancé visas and several other categories, including K, R, T, U, Q and H-3 visas.

The department says it uses every available source of information to identify applicants who may pose a threat to national security or public safety.

If you’re applying for a holiday visa, you’re not off the hook entirely.

Since 2019, almost all US visa applicants have had to list the social media platforms they’ve used in the past five years on the DS-160 visa application form.

Anyone who lies about their social media use could face serious immigration consequences.

The good news? State Department guidance says consular officers won’t ask for your passwords.

HOW TO PREPARE

Experts advise applicants to assume their online presence will be reviewed and compared with their application.

Inconsistent employment history, or posts that conflict with what you’ve told the embassy, could lead to extra questioning or delays.

The extra screening may also slow things down.

The department hasn’t announced new processing times, but delays are possible in individual cases.

So check that your LinkedIn job history matches your application, and leave extra time before you travel.

I’ll admit, the idea of a stranger scrolling through my Instagram before approving a trip feels a bit strange.

But for South Africans heading to the US to study, work or report, this is now part of the process.

My advice? Treat your social media like part of your CV. Because, as far as the US is concerned, it is.