By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Abuja — The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced a new requirement for all visa applicants to provide details of their social media history covering the past five years.
In a statement issued on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the U.S. Mission said applicants for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas must disclose all social media platforms they have used during the period, including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, among others.
The information is to be filled in on the DS-160 application form, where applicants are required to list their usernames or handles. The embassy clarified that passwords are not needed.
According to the directive, omitting social media information could lead to denial of visa applications and may affect future eligibility to travel to the United States.
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The Merit Newspaper reports that the embassy explained that the measure is part of efforts to strengthen its vetting process and enhance security. “By signing the DS-160 form, applicants certify that all information provided is true and correct. Failure to provide accurate social media details could result in visa refusal,” the notice stated.
Although the policy on social media vetting was first introduced in 2019, the U.S. has now restated its enforcement for applicants in Nigeria, with similar directives recently announced in India and for international student visas worldwide.
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The move reflects a growing global trend of digital screening for visa applicants as countries seek to tighten immigration controls through online footprints.
