US State Department Expands Social Media Vetting to TN, TD, I Visas

Effective October 1, 2026, the US Department of State has expanded its mandatory social media vetting process to include applicants for TN (Treaty NAFTA) visas, TD (dependent) visas, and I (foreign media representative) visas. This policy change is part of an ongoing initiative to strengthen national security and ensure that consular officers have access to all available information when assessing visa admissibility.

Previously, social media vetting was already a standard requirement for many other visa categories, including H-1B, F-1, and J-1. By including TN and I visa applicants, the government is extending its rigorous screening standards to professional and media categories. Applicants are now required to set their relevant social media profiles to "public" for review by consular staff, who may examine these accounts for "hostile attitudes" or other indicators of security risks.

This change specifically impacts Canadian and Mexican professionals applying for TN status, their dependents applying for TD status, and foreign journalists or media representatives applying for I-visas. Current visa holders are generally not affected unless they are seeking to renew or change their status at a US consulate.

Makutet analysis suggests that this expansion reflects a broader trend of integrating digital intelligence into traditional border security protocols. We expect that as biometric and social media screening becomes more efficient, the US Department of State will likely continue to phase in these requirements for remaining visa categories to ensure a uniform security standard across all entry pathways.