US visa applicants face delays tied to social media review

People wait in line to apply for U.S. visas in front of the U.S. Embassy in Jongno District, Seoul, May 28. Yonhap

A week after the U.S. Embassy in Seoul resumed visa interviews, new policies granting consular officers broad discretion to review social media have introduced a new layer of complexity for students preparing to study in the country.

According to recent applicants, most are receiving what is informally known as a “green letter” after their interviews. The notice is given to individuals who are not immediately deemed ineligible but require further review, reportedly related to social media activity.

While the green letter does not constitute a visa denial, it leaves applicants in limbo, as their status is temporarily marked “refused” during the screening process. This has heightened anxiety and frustration, particularly among students facing tight academic deadlines.

A screenshot of a green letter issued by the U.S. Embassy in Korea following a visa interview, on which "Future Review" is marked / Captured from online community for students preparing to study in the U.S.

On May 27, Politico reported that the U.S. government was reviewing a plan to make social media screening mandatory for international students applying for visas. Shortly after, visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Korea were suspended for three weeks.

Interviews resumed on June 20, but with a key change: Applicants’ social media accounts are now subject to additional scrutiny. According to the U.S. State Department, they are examining posts for signs of hostility toward American culture, government, institutions or founding principles, as well as support for foreign terrorist organizations.

The embassy has said that all visa applicants undergo continuous vetting, a process that uses "all available information."

According to Park Jeong-won, an education consultant in southern Seoul specializing in U.S. study programs, the process has produced two distinct outcomes for applicants.

"Most students are receiving a green letter after their interviews, while some are handed a purple one — typically given to those who did not provide their social media account information," Park said.

According to Park, applicants who leave the social media section of the DS-160 visa application blank, or only fill it out partially, are issued a purple letter and asked to step outside to revise the form online.

"One of our students told me that when they said they don’t use social media, the embassy staff responded, ‘Don’t you even watch YouTube?’" Park added. "It seems the embassy is taking social media-related information very seriously."

So far, there have been no reported cases of visa denials directly linked to social media screening. However, students continue to express concern and anxiety as the screening process delays visa issuance.

What used to take three to four days is now stretching to at least a week, with the additional screening alone taking four to five days.

On online communities where students and consultants share information about studying in the U.S., applicants are actively exchanging their experiences and updates, seeking clarity amid the ongoing uncertainty.

"Korean students may not be significantly impacted, as few tend to post political content, such as material related to Palestine," said Baek Yul-ri, director of a U.S. study abroad consulting firm in southern Seoul. "What’s causing the most concern is the uncertainty and delays in visa issuance."