US Now Demands 5-Year Social Media History From All Nigerian Visa Applicants
The United States Department of State has introduced a mandatory visa policy requiring all Nigerian applicants to provide a five-year social media history before being considered eligible to step on American soil, PulseNets learnt on Monday.
In an update posted on X, the US Mission in Nigeria warned that applicants who fail to disclose their social media handles risk outright visa denial.
“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.
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,” the statement read.
PulseNets reported that this latest requirement is an extension of the stringent immigration and deportation policies rolled out under President Donald Trump’s second-term administration since January 2025.
Last month, the US Mission in Nigeria began vetting the social media accounts of Nigerian applicants seeking F, M, and J non-immigrant visas, a move the Mission said was part of efforts to enhance national security. In its Monday update, the Mission expanded this directive to cover all visa categories for Nigerians.
In July, the Mission further restricted Nigerian citizens applying for non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to a single-entry visa valid for only three months. The restriction, PulseNets learnt, falls under the Trump administration’s reciprocal visa policy, which also affects several other countries.
The Mission clarified that US visas issued before July 8, 2025, remain valid and unaffected by the new policy.
A Mission official told PulseNets that these tightened standards are designed to “protect the integrity of the US immigration system.”
President Trump, who returned to office on January 20, 2025, has repeatedly vowed mass deportation of what he calls “criminal aliens” who entered the United States illegally. PulseNets reported that raids have already been carried out in homes, schools, workplaces, and shopping centres, with undocumented migrants being deported to countries including India and Guatemala.
Trump’s immigration drive has triggered mixed reactions. While some Americans commend his hardline stance, others accuse him of fueling fear and hostility against immigrant communities.
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According to official statistics, about 376,000 Nigerians were living in the United States as of 2015, making Nigeria the largest source of African immigration to America. Experts told PulseNets that the US remains a top destination for Nigerian youths and middle-class families in search of better opportunities.
The Nigerian diaspora community in the US plays a significant economic role back home. The World Bank’s 2023 data revealed that Nigerians abroad remit more than $20 billion annually, a figure that continues to cushion Nigeria’s struggling economy.
