State Department expands screening and vetting for visa applicants, effective October 1, 2026

On September 18, 2026, the Department of State announced that, effective October 1, 2026, DOS will expand its online presence review to include the following nonimmigrant visa classifications: I (foreign media representatives), TN, and TD (USMCA professionals and their dependents). To comply with the vetting process, all applicants for these visas are instructed to set their online profiles to "public" or "open."

This announcement expands the online vetting of applications that already is in effect with regards to other nonimmigrant visa categories, notably F-1, J-1, and H-1B, among others.

To learn more about which nonimmigrant visa categories are subject to the online screening protocols, read this article on the Department of State website.