New Delhi, Dec. 15 -- The Trump administration has started implementing stricter screening and vetting procedures for H-1B visas and their dependent H-4 applicants from today, which now include reviewing social media profiles.

Emphasising that a US visa is a privilege rather than a right, the State Department stated that it considers all available information during the visa process to identify applicants who may be inadmissible, particularly those who could threaten national security or public safety.

The State Department mentioned that it conducts comprehensive vetting of all visa applicants, which includes reviewing the online presence of students and exchange visitors in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant categories, stressing that each v...