The United States (US) embassy in Nigeria has asked all applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas to adjust their social media privacy settings to public.
The directive, published on the embassy’s official website, applies to individuals seeking to study or participate in academic and vocational exchange programmes in the US.
The F visa covers academic study, the M visa is for vocational study, while the J visa applies to exchange visitor programmes.
According to the notice, the measure is part of enhanced vetting procedures aimed at verifying the identities and admissibility of applicants under US law.
The instruction is tied to the enforcement of a presidential proclamation on national security, which came into effect on June 9, 2025.
“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law,” the notice reads.
“Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation on Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025, the United States is suspending or limiting entry and entry permit issuance to nationals of certain countries.
“Applicants who are subject to this Presidential Proclamation may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States.”
In June, the US department of state, had in a statement, said it uses all available information in its visa screening and vetting to identify entry permit applicants who are inadmissible to the country, including those who pose a threat to national security.
The department said under new guidance, it will conduct a “thorough” vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant 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’”, the notice reads.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. 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 entry permit sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”
The policy is expected to affect a large number of Nigerian students and professionals seeking academic and exchange opportunities in the US.
