US expands social media screening for visa applicants, Nigerians affected
By Aboki Forex —
The United States is expanding social media screening for visa applicants, a move that will bring greater scrutiny for Nigerians seeking work, study, journalism and other opportunities in the country.
The expansion comes as President Donald Trump's administration intensifies immigration and visa screening measures, with US officials increasingly using applicants' online presence as part of the vetting process.
What the new rule says
According to a report by The Daily Signal, the US State Department is expanding its online presence review to additional categories of visa applicants, including foreign media representatives. The report, which cited an internal State Department memo, said affected applicants would be required to set their social media profiles to public or open to allow consular officers to conduct screening.
The State Department has not publicly confirmed every detail contained in the reported memo, according to a Reuters report. However, a department spokesperson told AFP that the agency regularly reviews and evaluates its screening and vetting procedures globally. The spokesperson said online presence vetting is intended to establish whether applicants qualify for visas under US law and to identify individuals who could pose a national security or public safety risk.
Affected visa categories
The State Department announced in March 2026 that it was expanding online presence reviews to additional nonimmigrant visa categories, including certain H-3, H-4, K, Q, R, S, T and U applicants, alongside H-1B, H-4, F, M and J applicants already covered by the review, AFP reports.
Applicants in the affected categories are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to public or open. This means Nigerians applying under covered visa categories may have their publicly available online activity considered during the broader screening process.
The latest reported expansion would extend the social media screening requirement to foreign media representatives seeking visas to work in the United States. The reported change also involves certain workers from Mexico and Canada under specific visa arrangements. The exact implementation date for the newly reported expansion was not immediately clear.
Broader tightening under Trump
The reported social media expansion is part of a broader tightening of US immigration and visa policies under Trump. The administration has introduced stricter screening measures and has emphasised national security and public safety when assessing visa applications. The State Department has repeatedly stated that obtaining a US visa is a privilege rather than a right.
The administration has also moved to impose tighter limits on the length of stay for some foreign students and journalists. Under proposed changes, foreign students could be admitted for the duration of their academic programme, subject to a maximum period, while foreign journalists could face more limited periods of admission.
For Nigerians planning to apply for a US visa, the latest development highlights the importance of carefully reviewing the requirements for their specific visa category and ensuring that their application information is complete and accurate.