All candidates for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are now required to change their social media account privacy settings to “public,” according to the US Embassy in Nigeria.
The US government grants the F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa categories to people traveling to the US for exchange and educational purposes. According to the mission, a new visa requirement for applicants in certain categories is to make their personal social media profiles public. The upgrade went into effect immediately, according to a Monday announcement on the official X page of the US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria.
“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’, the message stated.
The article states that the modification is intended to support screening procedures that ascertain applicants’ identities and suitability for entry into the US. The article stated,
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security,”
The US Embassy insisted that its visa “is a privilege, not a right” when it first announced the update’s June plan.
“Under the new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications,” the US Department of State announced on its website on June 18, 2025.
“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.’
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the statement continued. “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 visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”
