TN Visa Social Media Check
For the New October 2026 Rule — Free
On October 1, 2026 the State Department added TN professionals, TD dependents and I (media) visas to the public-profile rule: every account set to public, and the whole online presence reviewed — including cases that were already pending. If you need a TN or TD visa at a consulate, check what the officer will see before the appointment.
The rules for TN applicants
Since October 1, 2026, TN professionals and their TD dependents must set every profile to public for the online-presence review, including cases still pending on that date. It applies to anyone who needs a TN or TD visa at a consulate — most Mexican applicants.
Public-profile vetting extended to TN, TD & I
October 2026Announced Sep 18 and effective Oct 1, 2026, the State Department extended the "make profiles public + online presence review" requirement to TN (USMCA professionals), TD dependents and I (foreign media) visa applicants, including cases still pending on that date.
Set every account to public before your consular interview and keep it public during processing. It applies directly to anyone who needs a TN or TD visa stamp at a consulate (most Mexican citizens); Canadians admitted at the border without a visa are not covered by this visa rule.
DS-160 requires 5 years of social media handles
In forceEvery U.S. nonimmigrant visa applicant must list all social media usernames used on each platform in the past five years on the DS-160 form.
Disclose every handle — including old, inactive or deleted accounts. An omission is treated as misrepresentation and can mean denial plus permanent (lifetime) ineligibility.
Content-based denials for extremist endorsement
April 2025USCIS will treat social media content endorsing or promoting antisemitic terrorism or designated terrorist organizations as a negative factor that can justify denying an immigration benefit.
Beyond disclosure, the actual content of your posts matters. Endorsing, sharing or "liking" content tied to designated terrorist groups can be held against you. Review old posts for anything that could be read this way.
Source: USCIS / DHS guidance
What officers look for on TN applicants' profiles
A profile that contradicts the offer letter
TN covers one USMCA profession for one named employer. A LinkedIn title, employer or field that differs from the offer letter and DS-160 is the most common inconsistency.
Immigration intent
TN is not a dual-intent visa. Posts about settling in the US for good or a pending green card contradict the temporary stay you assert.
Freelance and side work
Consulting, freelance clients or a side business on your profiles read as work outside the TN; TD dependents may not work at all.
What the free TN check covers
1
Your profiles vs. your offer letter
Employer, job title, profession and dates as LinkedIn and your other profiles show them, compared with the offer letter, the USMCA profession and your DS-160.
2
Intent and side-work signals
Posts about settling in the US for good, a pending green card, freelance clients or consulting — the patterns that matter most for a visa that is neither dual intent nor open to other work.
3
Every account the DS-160 needs
The public profiles tied to your name, so your five-year handle list is complete — forgotten accounts are the ones that turn into misrepresentation findings.
US social media guides by platform
What an officer can see on each platform, and the US-specific red flags.
TN visa social media check: FAQ
Do TN visa applicants have to make social media public now?
Yes. The State Department announced on September 18, 2026 that, from October 1, 2026, TN, TD and I visa applicants must set every social media profile to public so consular officers can review their online presence. Law-firm summaries of the notice say it also applies to cases still pending on October 1. Make the accounts public before the appointment and keep them public until the visa is issued.
Does the rule apply to Canadians?
It is a visa rule, so it applies where a visa is issued: most Mexican TN and TD applicants, who must get a visa at a US consulate. Canadian citizens usually apply for TN status at the border or a preclearance office without a visa, and the State Department notice does not cover that. Even so, a CBP officer at the border can look at anything that is public, so the same consistency still matters.
What will the officer look for on a TN applicant's profiles?
Consistency first: the job, employer, profession and dates your profiles show should match the offer letter and the USMCA profession you are applying under. Then intent — TN is not dual intent, so posts about moving permanently or an ongoing green card case invite questions. And work signals: TN covers work for the named employer only, so freelance or consulting offers read as unauthorized work.
Does my TD spouse need to do the same?
Yes. TD dependents are named in the same October 2026 notice, and each family member's file is reviewed on its own. TD holders may study but may not work, so a spouse's profile that advertises services or clients is a specific risk.
Can the review delay my TN visa?
It can. When an officer needs more time on the online-presence review, the case may be placed in 221(g) administrative processing after the interview. Clean, consistent, public profiles are the part of that you control — prepare before the appointment, not after.
Is the check free?
The risk preview is free and takes about three minutes. The full report — every finding, with what to fix — is a one-time payment, with no account and no subscription.
See your profiles the way the officer will
Free risk preview in about three minutes. Public data only — no passwords, no login.
Check my profiles for TN — freeRelated
Independent service — not affiliated with any government and not legal advice. Rules as listed in our regulation tracker; always confirm against the linked official sources.