US Tightens Visa Rules for Nigerian Applicants

The US government has introduced new visa requirements for Nigerian applicants, mandating them to disclose their social media profiles and activities over the last five years. Failure to comply may result in visa denial or ineligibility for future US visas.

Visa applicants must provide information on their User ID, including email address, username, handle, and telephone number on all platforms and applications used in the last five years.

 Applicants who have used multiple platforms or usernames within the same period must list them in the DS-160 form.

Omitting social media information on the application could lead to visa denial and future ineligibility.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has vowed to reciprocate the new US visa policy with equal measures. US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same requirements. An inter-agency meeting will be convened to determine the best way to respond to the new visa regulation

The new policy affects most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas, including student visas, tourist visas, and business visas.

Nigerian applicants may face added costs and administrative hurdles due to the single-entry, three-month validity period for most visas.

 Frequent travellers, students, and businesspeople may be disproportionately affected

The US government has been tightening immigration measures, citing national security concerns. Over 6,000 student visas have been revoked since Secretary of State Marco Rubio took office, with reasons including overstays, law violations, and support for terrorism