On February 12, President Donald Trump announced an executive order indicating to consular officers and foreign officers that “failure to faithfully implement the President’s policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation.” The personnel procedures of executive departments and agencies charged with implementing the President’s foreign policy must therefore provide an effective and efficient means for ensuring that officers and employees faithfully implement the President’s policies.

The order also directs the Secretary of State to revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual.

So, what does the One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations Executive Order mean for visa applicants?

Visa interviews will become more challenging as consular officers may fear for their own jobs if they do not implement more restrictive interpretations of guidance.

Coupled with the extreme vetting already ordered via the previously discussed Executive Order: Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, employment-based visa applicants and the companies they work for should expect tougher visa interviews with extreme vetting.

Visa applicants should expect that officers will review documentation more carefully--even in the event of a renewal.

In addition, visa applicants should ensure that their social media reflects the same information in their visa application. For example, if someone is sponsored for an H-1B visa as a software engineer, their LinkedIn should not indicate they are a Vice President or Manager. Another example is if someone applying for a non-immigrant visa such as a business visitor visa, they should not post that they can’t wait to move to the U.S. All applicants should expect that social media posts will be reviewed.

Additional preparation for visa interviews may be required, particularly for any applicant who will apply for a purely non-immigrant visa type such as B-1 or TN visas. It goes without saying that L-1 applicants should be prepped for visa interviews since they must understand how they qualify under the L-1 category.

Employers, as you strategize how to file post registration selected H-1B Cap petitions, ensure foreign nationals understand the heightened risk of travel for a consular approval versus remaining in the U.S. via a change of status. Travel comes with risks. Visa appointments come with risks.