The United States government has announced it will soon resume processing visa applications for international students, with a new requirement for applicants to make their social media accounts public.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the US State Department said it will begin scheduling appointments for F, M, and J non-immigrant visa categories, which include academic and vocational students, as well as exchange visitors. The department advised applicants to check the website of their nearest US embassy or consulate for appointment availability.
However, a major policy change now mandates that all student and exchange visa applicants set their social media accounts to ‘public’ as part of a more rigorous vetting process.
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“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 statement read.
Officials say the move is part of efforts to ensure that those seeking entry into the US are not a threat to national security and are genuinely interested in academic or exchange programmes.
“Failure to comply with this directive may be interpreted as an attempt to conceal online activity, which could negatively affect the outcome of an application,” the State Department warned.
The decision comes after student visa appointments were suspended in May under the Trump administration’s push for tighter immigration controls, especially for applicants perceived to pose security risks.
While the resumption of visa processing comes as a relief to many Nigerian students hoping to study in the US, the new requirement to make social media accounts public has raised privacy concerns.
With thousands of Nigerians applying for F, M, and J visas each year, applicants are now urged to review their online presence carefully and ensure their profiles reflect their intentions.
To avoid delays or denials, students are advised to monitor updates from the US Embassy in Abuja or the Consulate in Lagos and strictly follow the new guidelines.
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