Amanze ChinonyeThe United States Mission in Nigeria has announced that all visa applicants must now disclose their social media history from the past five years as part of the visa application process.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Embassy said applicants are required to list all usernames or handles they have used across every platform in the past five years on the DS-160 visa application form. While passwords will not be requested, applicants must certify that the information provided is accurate. The Mission warned that omitting social media details could lead to visa denial and render applicants ineligible for future visas.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe directive applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants and forms part of expanded national security screening aimed at strengthening background checks. Although the announcement was issued by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the requirement is not Nigeria-specific.
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The policy was first introduced globally in 2019 and earlier this year enforcement was tightened for student and exchange visitor visas, requiring applicants worldwide to make their social media accounts accessible to consular officers.
Nigeria is among the African countries with the highest number of U.S. visa applicants, ranging from students to tourists and business travellers, making the Embassy’s reminder particularly significant.
For many Nigerians, this means their chances of securing a visa will no longer depend only on financial or travel records but also on how their digital footprints are judged.
With thousands applying each year, the policy could have far-reaching consequences for education, business, and family travel, underscoring how online activity is now directly tied to access to opportunities abroad.
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