The United States government has directed Nigerian visa applicants to disclose all social media usernames or handles used within the last five years as part of the DS-160 application process.
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria revealed this in a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, stressing that non-compliance will result in 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,” the statement read.
This policy applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant applicants from Nigeria and other countries, forming part of enhanced vetting procedures introduced under the Donald Trump administration.
The Department of State said the requirement aims to boost national security by enabling consular officers to review applicants’ online presence as part of background checks.
On the DS-160 form, applicants are required to provide usernames from major platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and others covering the past five years.
The form clarifies that only usernames or handles are required, not passwords.
The statement further noted that applicants must certify all details provided in their visa forms as “true and correct” before signing and submitting.
“Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit,” the statement added.
U.S. authorities warned that incomplete or inaccurate disclosure of social media information could cause visa denials, processing delays, or even make applicants ineligible for future visas.
“Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas,” the statement warned.
The Department of State has defended the rule as an important safeguard.
“Collecting this additional information strengthens our process for vetting applicants and confirming their identities,” the department reportedly stated when the rule was first rolled out.
