The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has updated its visa application requirements, now obligating all applicants to disclose social media usernames and handles used within the past five years.
The directive was announced on Monday, August 18, 2025, through a post on the Mission’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. It aligns with the U.S. Department of State’s broader efforts to strengthen national security through enhanced applicant screening procedures.
According to the Mission, Nigerian applicants must provide a complete list of their social media accounts when filling out the DS-160 visa application form. Failure to do so, it cautioned, could result in visa denial and even disqualification from future applications.
The statement on X read: “Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form.”
It further emphasized: “Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”
This requirement forms part of the U.S. government’s security-focused vetting process, designed to ensure greater transparency and accountability from prospective travelers.
