The California Historic Route 66 Association recently issued a warning that visa problems may affect travel to the United States, including those who seek to be on Route 66.
In a post on Facebook, the association stated “this is not a politcal post” and added it was sharing information because “the travel industry understands safety issues, we are also concerned that visa issues may complicate leisure travel to America.”
It flagged this information straight from the U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs Office:
A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right.
We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security. Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public.”
Our overseas posts will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applications soon. Applicants should check the relevant embassy or consulate website for appointment availability.
Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.
The association in April also flagged an article from the Tokyo Weekender, which reported in part:
According to Jeffrey J. Hall, a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies, “The threat of having a visa denied over one’s political social media posts feels much more real in 2025.”
The embassy announcement has sparked concern among Japanese citizens who regularly travel to the United States.
“It’s the death certificate of the land of the free,” posted one X user. “The United States is now pursuing policies similar to those of China’s Cultural Revolution. Considering how destructive the Cultural Revolution was to China, I think that if things continue this way, the United States will decline more than we can imagine. I can only pray that this will not happen, but I am currently feeling pessimistic,” wrote another.
With these types of hassles, it’s understandable why some foreign travelers wanting to explore Route 66 — even during the highway’s centennial next year — might be hesistant to do so.
(Image of a Canadian passport by Houston Marsh via Flickr)
Sounds like political rhetoric to me