News Highlights:
- Mandatory Public Social Media Profiles for Visa Applicants
- Visa Screening Tied to National Security
In a move underscoring heightened national security scrutiny, the United States Mission in Nigeria has announced a new visa requirement mandating that all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas adjust their social media account privacy settings to “public.”
This directive, which took immediate effect, applies specifically to individuals seeking visas for educational and exchange purposes under the F, M, and J categories.
The announcement was made via the official X page of the United States Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria 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 statement read.
According to the Mission, this policy shift is part of enhanced vetting procedures aimed at strengthening identity verification and ensuring that only eligible individuals are granted entry into the United 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 US national security,” the post further stated.
The U.S. Department of State had earlier foreshadowed the update in June, clarifying that the United States views the issuance of visas not as an entitlement but a discretionary decision based on thorough background checks.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the Department emphasized in a statement published on June 18, 2025.
“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 statement further outlined the scope of the screening: “Under the 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.’”
This development marks a significant tightening of entry procedures and reflects Washington’s ongoing emphasis on using digital footprints as critical tools in its immigration and border security processes.