Effective October 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will extend its social media screening procedures to applicants seeking TN, TD, and I nonimmigrant visa classifications. The Department publicized this development on September 18, 2026, specifying additional requirements for those visa categories.
Visa Classifications Affected and Eligibility Criteria
The TN visa classification applies to qualifying citizens of Canada and Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) who enter the United States temporarily for professional business activities. Typically, Mexican citizens require TN visas, while Canadian citizens often obtain TN status directly at U.S. ports of entry, although TN visas may be issued to Canadians in certain cases.
The TD classification is intended for certain spouses and unmarried minor children of TN professionals applying for dependent visas. Canadian dependents usually do not require TD visas, whereas Mexican and various other dependents often do. The I visa is designated for representatives of foreign media traveling to the U.S. to perform work-related activities.
New Social Media Profile Requirements
The Department of State now instructs applicants for TN, TD, and I visas to make all their social media profiles public or open to facilitate online-presence review as part of the screening process. Partial openness by making only some profiles accessible does not meet the requirement. Applicants
without social media profiles are not expected to create accounts solely for this purpose.
Background on Social Media Screening
Since 2019, the Department has gathered social media identifiers from most immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants to aid applicant screening and verify identities. Online-presence review has been applied to multiple nonimmigrant visa classifications prior to this expansion. The October 1, 2026 change marks an extension of the existing process to include TN, TD, and I visa applicants.
Impact on Visa Applicants and Official Instructions
Applicants in the expanded categories should anticipate increased scrutiny of their social media content during visa evaluations. The Department of State emphasizes that social media review is only one
aspect of a larger vetting and screening process. All visa applications must be completed accurately and truthfully, with applicants complying fully with the updated instructions for profile accessibility.
The Department’s announcement on September 18, 2026, directs all TN, TD, and I visa applicants to review and adjust the privacy settings on their social media platforms to public or open status before visa appointments. This requirement is intended to ensure profiles are accessible for examination during the vetting process.
Applicant eligibility will continue to be determined under U.S. immigration laws and visa-specific requirements beyond the social media screening component.
