The United States Mission in Nigeria has introduced new guidelines for applicants seeking F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas intended for study and exchange programs in the U.S.
As part of the updated policy, the consulate announced that all applicants in these categories must now change the privacy settings of their social media accounts to “public.”
The mission emphasized that making social media profiles publicly accessible is now a mandatory requirement during the visa application process.
This was made known on the United States Diplomatic Mission Nigeria’s official X page on Monday.
The US embassy noted the update was effective immediately.
“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,’” it read.
According to the consulate, the change is meant to complement vetting efforts aimed at determining applicants’ identities and their admissibility to the United States.
Recall that on June 18, 2025, the US Department of State published on its website that under the new guidance, which would require the vetting of F, M, and J nonimmigrant classification applicants social media accounts.
The US had maintained that its visa “is a privilege, not a right.”
