News

留学・研修ビザ審査の変更

一時停止されていた留学・研修 (F・M・J)ビザの面接業務が再開されましたが、新たにSocial Media Vetting（SNS審査）が導入されました。SNS審査では国防の観点から、申請者のSNSアカウントが精査されます。SNS審査導入に伴う主な変更点は以下のとおりです。

• 申請者はDS-160申請書に、過去5年間に使用した全てのSNSアカウント（Facebook、Instagram、X等）を申告しなければならない

• SNSアカウントは公開設定（Public）にしなければならない

• SNS審査は面接後に実施されるため、ビザの即日発給が原則不可

• 大使館における審査は数日から数週間かかる可能性あり

• 面接予約枠が例年より少なく、非常に取りづらい状況 (9月以降はビザの郵送更新も廃止されるため、今後さらなる混雑が見込まれる)

就学開始日やプログラム開始日に間に合うよう、早めの準備開始が必要です。

昨今のビザ面接予約状況 (予約枠の制限について)

今夏は非移民ビザ全般において、例年よりも面接枠が少なく、予約が非常に取りづらい状況となっています。ビザ申請をご予定の場合はお早めにご相談くださいますようお願いいたします。

在京米国大使館においては、2026年1月分までの面接枠が既に公開され、予約受付が開始されています。今後も予約状況の不安定さが続くことが予想されますので、年末年始にビザ申請をご検討の方もお早めにご相談ください。

参考

国務省発表原文：https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants 

在日米国大使館公式X：https://x.com/USVisaTokyo/status/1942024564076347566  

【US Nonimmigrant Visa】 Updates to Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Application

Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Application

The suspension of in-person interviews for F, M, and J visa application has been lifted, and a new Social Media Vetting process has been introduced. Under this process, applicants’ social media accounts will be reviewed from a national security perspective. The key changes associated with the introduction of Social Media Vetting are as follows:

• Applicants must list all social media accounts used in the past five years (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, X) in the DS-160 application form.

• Social media accounts must be set to public.

• Social Media Vetting will be conducted after the interview; therefore, same-day visa issuance will generally not be possible.

• The vetting process may take from several days to several weeks.

• Visa interview appointment slots are fewer than in previous years and have become much more difficult to secure. With mail-in visa renewals ending in September, further congestion is expected.

Applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to begin preparations early and secure an interview well in advance to ensure they can enter the United States in time for the start of their academic program or training.

Limited Appointment Availability for Nonimmigrant Visas

For the past few months, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of nonimmigrant visa interview appointments available at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan. As a result, it has become more difficult to secure an appointment, especially on short notice. If you plan to apply for or renew a visa, we strongly recommend beginning preparations and securing an appointment earlier than usual.

At the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, appointment slots are already available through January 2026. With further congestion expected, those planning to apply around the year-end and New Year holidays are advised to take action as soon as possible.

References

U.S. Department of State Announcement: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/06/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants
Official X Account of the U.S. Embassy in Japan: https://x.com/USVisaTokyo/status/1942024564076347566