Hyderabad student issued 221(g) slip after consular officer flagged her Reddit profile for not being public during F-1 visa interview
An Indian student from Hyderabad faced a setback in her plans to study in the United States after her F-1 student visa was put on hold due to her private Reddit account, highlighting the growing scrutiny of social media profiles under the US visa screening process, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Consular officer asked applicant to make all social media accounts public to resume visa processing.
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The student shared her experience on Reddit, stating that the US visa officer raised a concern during her interview about a Reddit handle she hadn’t listed on her DS-160 form
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Although she said the account was open, the officer reportedly told her it wasn’t visible during background checks and proceeded to issue a 221(g) slip, pausing her visa application until all her social media profiles were made public
This incident follows new US government measures to intensify screening of student visa applicants, particularly to detect links to anti-Semitic or extremist content online. The policy requires consular officers to evaluate social media activity before granting student visas.
US Embassy: Visa holders under ongoing review even after approval
In a related advisory, the US Embassy in India reiterated on Saturday that visa approval does not mean the end of monitoring. It warned that visa holders are continuously evaluated, and the US authorities retain the right to revoke visas or deport individuals who are found violating US laws or immigration regulations.
What is a 221(g) slip?
A 221(g) slip is issued when the visa application requires additional administrative processing. It effectively places the application on hold until the applicant complies with the consulate’s specific requests—such as providing documents or, in this case, updating social media privacy settings.
The student’s case has sparked a wider discussion on the boundaries of digital privacy versus immigration security, especially for international students navigating increasingly complex visa processes.
