Work Visas

TN and TD Visas Now Require Public Social Media. Does That Apply to Canadians?

Starting October 1, 2026, the State Department will review the online presence of TN, TD and I visa applicants and tells them to set every social media profile to "public." Headlines have called this a new rule for Canadians, but most Canadians never apply for a TN visa at all. Here's who the rule actually reaches, what "public" means, and how to prepare without deleting your history.

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Published Last updated 4 min read

Not legal advice. This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Do not rely on it to decide what to do in your own case. Immigration rules change, so confirm current requirements at uscis.gov and talk to a licensed immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative.

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In this article
  1. What the announcement actually covers
  2. Why most Canadians aren't directly affected
  3. Who is directly affected
  4. What "public" means, and what to do before your interview
  5. Does this change TN eligibility?
  6. Official sources

On September 18, 2026, the State Department announced that from October 1 it will "broaden its online presence review" to three more visa classifications: TN professionals under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, their TD dependents, and I visas for foreign media. Applicants in those categories are "instructed to set the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public' or 'open.'"

A lot of coverage has framed this as a new rule for Canadian professionals. That's only partly right, and the difference matters for how you prepare. Facts are current as of September 27, 2026.

What the announcement actually covers

The requirement applies to people applying for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate in the TN, TD or I category. The same review already applies to a long list of other categories, including H-1B and H-4, F-1 and M-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, K fiancé visas, and R religious workers.

It's worth separating this from something older. Since 2019, nearly every visa application form (the DS-160 for temporary visas) has asked applicants to list the social media identifiers they've used in the past five years. That disclosure already applies to TN and TD visa applicants. What changes on October 1 is the instruction to make those profiles publicly viewable so officers can review them.

Why most Canadians aren't directly affected

Canadian citizens don't need a visa for TN status. As USCIS explains, a Canadian "is not required to apply for a TN visa at a U.S. consulate." Instead, they apply for TN status directly with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a designated port of entry or a pre-clearance location at a Canadian airport, with proof of citizenship, an employer letter and credentials. Some employers file Form I-129 with USCIS first.

Because the State Department's announcement is about visa applications, a Canadian who applies for TN status at the border isn't filing the kind of application it covers. The same goes for Canadian citizens seeking TD status as dependents.

That doesn't mean a Canadian's online presence is off limits. CBP officers decide admission at the border and can ask questions, and they have their own authority to inspect electronic devices. The State Department's rule just isn't the mechanism for that.

Who is directly affected

  • Mexican TN professionals. Mexican citizens must get a TN visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate before seeking admission. Every Mexican TN applicant from October 1 onward is covered.
  • Mexican TD dependents. Spouses and children who are Mexican citizens need TD visas too, including when they travel after an extension approved inside the U.S. and their old TD visa has expired.
  • Non-Canadian family members of Canadian TNs. This group is easy to miss. The State Department says spouses and children "who are not Canadian citizens must apply for TD nonimmigrant visas." If a Canadian TN's spouse is, say, a citizen of India or Brazil, the new rule applies to that spouse.
  • Some Canadians after all. According to the State Department, a Canadian who lives outside Canada with a non-Canadian spouse or children, and wants to bring them, needs a TN visa so the family members can apply for TD visas. Those Canadians go through a consulate and are covered.
  • Journalists and media workers applying for I visas.

What "public" means, and what to do before your interview

The State Department hasn't published a list of platforms or a technical definition. Its instruction covers "all of their social media profiles." In practice, that means the accounts you list on your DS-160.

  1. Make your DS-160 and your profiles match. List every identifier you used in the past five years, including accounts you no longer use. Leaving out an account that officers later find can raise a misrepresentation issue, which is far worse than anything on the account itself.
  2. Switch the listed profiles to public before you submit and keep them that way until your visa is issued. Officers may review them before, during or after the interview.
  3. Don't mass-delete your history. A profile that suddenly empties before a visa interview can look like concealment. If there's something specific you're worried about, talk to an immigration attorney before changing it.
  4. Check that your profiles tell the same story as your application. Job titles, employers, where you live and your travel history should line up with your employer letter and DS-160. Inconsistencies are a common reason for extra questions.
  5. Allow extra time. Any added review step raises the chance that a case is held for administrative processing after the interview, which can take weeks. If your start date is fixed, build in a margin.

Does this change TN eligibility?

No. The requirements for TN status are the same: you must be a Canadian or Mexican citizen, work in a profession on the USMCA list, have a prearranged job with a U.S. employer, and hold the qualifications for that profession. TD dependents still can't work but can study. The rule changes how the State Department vets visa applicants, not who qualifies.

The State Department's statement puts it bluntly: "Every visa adjudication is fundamentally a national security decision," and a visa "remains a privilege granted at the government's discretion, not an entitlement." Officers are looking for anything that suggests inadmissibility, including security concerns and signs that the applicant doesn't intend to follow the terms of their status.

If you're weighing TN against H-1B, the cost picture for H-1B has also shifted this year. See which H-1B payments and fees apply right now.

Official sources

Not legal advice. This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Immigration rules and USCIS processes change, so check uscis.gov for current requirements, and speak with a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative about your own case before you act. StatusPal is independent and is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government.

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