The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a major update to its visa screening process, mandating that Nigerian applicants seeking student, trainee, and exchange visitor visas must now set their personal social media accounts to public.
The policy, which took effect immediately specifically to those applying for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, categories typically used by students, vocational trainees, and participants in cultural exchange programmes.
Announcing the change on Monday, July 7, via its official X handle (@USinNigeria), the U.S. Mission said the requirement is part of enhanced national security vetting efforts.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the post read. “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.”
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The Mission also noted that U.S. authorities rely on all available information to vet visa applicants and ensure those who pose security risks are denied entry.
“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,” the Mission added.
“Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms,” It stated
The new policy is expected to add another layer of scrutiny for applicants, prompting concerns among Nigerians about digital privacy and the implications of making years of online activity visible.
Applicants are advised to comply with the new directive and follow updates from the U.S. Embassy. Additional information is available at ng.usembassy.gov or by contacting the Embassy directly.
