The U.S .Mission in Nigeria has introduced a new requirement for applicants of F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, mandating that they set their social media accounts to public for enhanced vetting.
This measure aimed to strengthen national security and verify applicant identities.
Yhe embassy announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, satting, “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 directive, which takes immediate effect, applied to Nigerians seeking to study or participate in exchange programmes in the United States under the affected visa categories.
According to the U.S. consulate, the move is designed to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.
Reinforcing the national security focus, the embassy added: “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.”
It also states, “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.
“Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms”, the statement further added.
The updated social media policy followed a June 18, 2025, publication by the U.S. Department of State, which confirmed the government’s intention to expand digital vetting for nonimmigrant visa classifications, including F, M, and J applicants.
The U.S. government reiterated that visa issuance remains a discretionary privilege, not a right.
