New Social Media Rule That Also Concerns Turks in the U.S. Visa

The United States has expanded the scope of online presence reviews in visa applications. As of October 1, 2026, the I, TN, and TD categories are also included in social media and online history reviews. The U.S. Department of State is asking applicants for these visas to set the privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public” or “open.”

I Visa Takes Center Stage for Turkish Journalists

One of the groups most affected by the regulation from Turkey’s perspective is Turkish citizens who wish to travel to the United States for journalism, media, press, or radio activities. The I visa is used by representatives of foreign media organizations and by individuals working in press, radio, and similar fields. The I visa also appears on the visa reciprocity table published by the U.S. Department of State for Turkey.

Social Media Accounts Will Be Open

Under the new policy, applicants for I, TN, and TD visas are instructed to make the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles public. The Ministry says that this measure is part of the security and compliance assessment in visa applications.

TD Visa Could Also Affect Turkish Families

The TN category is primarily aimed at allowing Canadian and Mexican citizens to work in certain professional occupations in the United States under the US‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement. However, the TD status can be used for the spouse and children of a TN holder, and those individuals are not required to be Canadian or Mexican citizens. Therefore, if a Turkish citizen applies for a TD visa as the spouse or family member of a TN holder, it is possible for them to fall under the new online review.

Social Media Screening Is Not New After All

Using social media information in visa reviews is not a new practice. The State Department says it has been requesting social media identifiers on most immigrant and non‑immigrant visa applications since 2019. Subsequent changes have made online presence reviews more comprehensive in certain visa categories.

It Also Applies to F, J, and H Visas

Social media review previously covered F‑1, F‑2, M‑1, M‑2, J‑1, J‑2, H‑1B and some H‑4 applications. In March 2026, additional visa types such as certain categories of A‑3, C‑3, G‑5, H‑3, H‑4, as well as K, Q, R, S, T, and U were added to the system. In October, the inclusion of I, TN, and TD expanded the scope of the review again.

The US Also Examines Online History

ABD Dışişleri Bakanlığı says it uses all available information sources in visa evaluations. According to the ministry, the goal is to identify individuals who should not be admitted to ABD or who could pose a threat to national security and public safety. In this context, the applicant's online presence can also be part of the evaluation process.

Turks Should Pay Attention to This Before Applying!

The new regulation does not mean that every Turkish citizen who wants to go to ABD must open a social media account. The rule applies to applicants in the visa categories subject to review. Therefore, especially applicants in the I and TD categories who are Turkish journalists planning to go to ABD for media activities must take the new application into account.