The administration of Donald Trump plans to tighten visa rules for foreign journalists by introducing checks of their social media accounts, reports the website infohub.kz.
According to Bild, citing The Daily Signal, some categories of visa applicants, including foreign journalists, will be required to make their Instagram, Facebook, and X profiles public. This will require switching from private to public accounts.
There is no official confirmation of these plans yet. However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a post on X, though without direct confirmation. The US State Department has also not yet disclosed details. In response to a request, a representative stated: "It is about applicants proving their eligibility for a visa under US law and ensuring that no individual poses a security risk to the United States."
Already today, applicants for certain US visa categories, such as student visas, must disclose their online accounts. Thus, this practice may now extend to other categories.
It is worth noting that last month, the Trump administration also announced it would limit the duration of stay for foreign journalists and students. Student visas will be issued for a maximum of four years, and visas for foreign journalists for a maximum of 240 days (with the possibility to apply for an extension). For tourists, stricter rules may also be introduced soon. According to plans of the US government, which became known earlier this year, they may also be required to disclose information about their use of social media.