‘Make your social media activity public’ — US tells Nigerian student visa applicants
The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a new requirement for applicants of F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, mandating that they adjust the privacy settings on all personal social media accounts to “public.”
F, M, and J visas are issued to individuals traveling to the US for educational and exchange programs. The updated requirement, effective immediately, was disclosed via the US Diplomatic Mission Nigeria’s official X handle on Monday.
“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 mission stated.
According to the post, the move is aimed at strengthening vetting efforts to better assess the identity and admissibility of visa applicants.
“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 US national security,” the statement added.
The US Department of State had earlier announced the update on June 18, noting that student and exchange visitor applicants would undergo a thorough vetting process, including a review of their online presence.
“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,’” it said.
The US government emphasized that visa issuance remains a national security decision and a privilege—not a right—requiring applicants to credibly establish their eligibility and intentions.
