Effective October 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will extend its expanded online-presence review to applicants for TN, TD, and I nonimmigrant visa classifications. The Department announced this policy change on September 18, 2026. Applicants in these categories must adjust privacy settings to make all of their social-media profiles public or accessible to facilitate the screening process.
Online-Presence Review Expansion
Collection of social-media identifiers from most immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants has been in place since 2019. The October 1, 2026 change adds TN, TD, and I visa categories to the Department’s existing expanded online-presence review, which uses publicly accessible social media
content to aid in identifying inadmissible applicants and verifying visa eligibility. The Department clarified that this is an expansion of the process, not an introduction of social media screening.
Affected Visa Classifications and Nationality Distinctions
The TN visa classification covers USMCA professionals—citizens of Canada and Mexico performing qualifying business activities temporarily in the United States. Mexican nationals typically require TN visas to seek entry, while Canadian citizens usually seek TN status at U.S. ports of entry but may obtain TN visas in some cases. TD visas apply to certain spouses and unmarried minor children of TN professionals actively applying for those visas; Canadian dependents generally are
exempt from the TD visa requirement. The I visa classification serves qualifying foreign media representatives traveling to the U.S. for professional assignments and is now included in the expanded screening.
Implications for Visa Applicants
Beginning October 1, 2026, applicants for TN, TD, and I visas must ensure all social media profiles are public or open in accordance with Department of State instructions. Partial compliance, such as making only some accounts accessible, will not satisfy the screening requirements. Applicants should prepare carefully by reviewing official guidance ahead of their visa appointments. The Department emphasizes the importance of truthful and complete information across visa applications, supporting
documents, and interviews.
Social media review constitutes one aspect of the Department’s broader screening and vetting process. Eligibility for visa issuance depends on satisfying all legal requirements beyond social media accessibility. This policy expansion aims to reinforce security measures during the visa adjudication.
