The United States Mission in Nigeria has implemented a new, immediate requirement for all applicants seeking F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas: their personal social media accounts must now be set to “public.”
These visa categories are specifically for individuals intending to enter the U.S. for educational or exchange programs.
The updated directive, announced on Monday via the official X (formerly Twitter) page of the United States Diplomatic Mission Nigeria, 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.’”
This policy adjustment is designed to bolster existing vetting procedures aimed at confirming applicants’ identities and assessing their eligibility for entry into the United States.
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According to the embassy’s statement, “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 U.S. government had previously signaled its intent for this change in June, reiterating its stance that a U.S. visa is a “privilege, not a right.”
On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State’s website published guidance affirming that the new policy would involve “a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.”
The statement further elaborated on the necessity of this measure: “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 underscored the gravity of each visa decision, noting, “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.”
The U.S. government emphasized its commitment to vigilance during the visa issuance process, ensuring 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.”
