The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced new guidelines for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applicants seeking to study or participate in exchange programs in the US.
The consulate stated that all applicants in these categories must now set their personal social media profiles to “public” as part of the new visa requirement.
It was made known in the United States Diplomatic Mission Nigeria’s official X page 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 US Embassy said in a statement.
According to the consulate, the change aims to complement vetting efforts to determine applicants’ identities and admissibility to the United States.
Recalled that on June 18, 2025, the US Department of State had previously announced the new guidance on June 18, 2025, requiring the vetting of F, M, and J nonimmigrant classification applicants’ social media accounts.
The US maintains that its visa “is a privilege, not a right”.