Applicants Must Set Social Media Profiles to ‘Public’ Under New Rules
From Staff Writer
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced a new visa requirement mandating all Nigerian applicants under the F, M, and J nonimmigrant categories to make their social media accounts publicly accessible as part of the visa vetting process.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, the US Mission revealed that the measure takes immediate effect and applies to those seeking to study or participate in academic exchange programmes in the United States.
“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’,” the Embassy said.
The directive is aimed at enhancing the consulate’s efforts in verifying the identities and eligibility of applicants seeking entry into the United States. According to the Embassy, open access to social media profiles will support existing security and background checks.
This new policy follows an earlier announcement by the US Department of State on 18 June 2025, introducing enhanced social media vetting for non-immigrant student and exchange visa classifications.
While the policy has sparked debate among prospective students and human rights advocates, US authorities have defended the move as necessary for national security. The US government reiterated its long-held stance that obtaining a visa is “a privilege, not a right.”
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