U.S. Tightens F and J Visa Checks as DHS Seeks Fixed Stays

The State Department is directing F and J visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for screening, part of a broader tightening of vetting as the Department of Homeland Security moves to cap student and exchange stays at fixed lengths rather than open-ended “duration of status.”

What’s New For Students

In an announcement updated on December 3, 2025, the State Department said an “online presence review” applies to student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M and J categories and instructed all applicants in those classifications to adjust privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public.” The same directive takes effect December 15 for H‑1B workers and H‑4 dependents. The department says the aim is thorough vetting to identify inadmissibility and security risks, and that every visa adjudication is a national security decision.

Proposed Limits On Stay

DHS, under the Trump administration, has proposed replacing the longstanding “duration of status” framework for F and J nonimmigrants with fixed admission periods tied to program length, up to four years. Extensions beyond that period would require filing with USCIS, shifting oversight from schools and sponsors to immigration authorities. The draft rule, published for comment on August 28, 2025, also outlines a 240‑day admission for foreign media (I) visa holders. Public comments on the proposal closed in late September, and DHS will determine next steps after reviewing feedback.

The Bigger Picture

The stepped-up vetting for students and exchange visitors comes amid a wider push to scrutinize travelers’ digital footprints. A separate government notice would require visa‑waiver visitors to provide social media handles and other data, a plan that industry groups warn could dampen international travel demand. While that policy concerns tourists and business travelers rather than F and J applicants, it underscores a consistent trend toward expanded screening across entry pathways.

What It Means Now

For current and prospective F and J applicants, the immediate change is the online presence review and the requirement to make social profiles public during processing. The DHS proposal is still a proposal; it is not in effect. Until a final rule is issued, F and J admissions remain under the existing framework. Applicants should monitor agency updates and program guidance as timelines and procedures may evolve.

Sources

• Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for H-1B and Dependent H-4 Visa Applicants — U.S. Department of State (December 3, 2025)
• Trump Administration Proposes New Rule to End Foreign Student Visa Abuse — U.S. Department of Homeland Security (August 27, 2025)
• DHS Posts Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for F and J Nonimmigrants — Study in the States, DHS (August 27, 2025)
• Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media — Federal Register (August 28, 2025)
• US social media requirements for foreign visitors could have 'chilling effect' on travel, industry group says — Reuters (December 15, 2025)
• F and J Visa Updates: Social Media Checks Begin as DHS Proposes New Limits — Fragomen (December 17, 2025)