US visa, June 23 -- If you're set to apply for a higher education in the US, get ready for a new digital checkpoint-your social media profiles.

In the latest advisory, the US Embassy in India has announced that all applicants for F, M, or J non-immigrant visas must now ensure their social media accounts are set to public before appearing for a visa interview.

"Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law," reads the US Embassy's instruction.

Those who fail to do so will be suspected of hiding tha...