*Single-Entry Limit, Public Social Media Required for Student Visas

The United States Department of State has introduced significant changes to its non-immigrant visa policy affecting several countries, including Nigeria. Effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry only and valid for three months.

The updated visa restrictions apply only to new issuances. Visas granted before July 8, 2025, will retain their existing terms and validity.

According to the U.S. State Department, this adjustment is part of a reciprocal visa policy review that reflects standard global practices and ongoing national security assessments. The policy may be updated at any time based on countries’ compliance with visa integrity standards.

The U.S. emphasized that visa reciprocity is tied to technical and security benchmarks. These include:

  • Issuance of secure travel documents with verified identities;
  • Effective visa overstay management by the home country;
  • Information sharing on security and criminal data to ensure public safety.

The U.S. Mission stated that it is working closely with Nigerian immigration and security agencies to help the country meet these criteria and expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ongoing reforms.

“The United States values its longstanding relationship with Nigeria and remains committed to strengthening our partnership based on mutual respect and shared security priorities,” the U.S. government said in a statement.

Nigerian travelers are urged to adhere strictly to visa terms and ensure that their travel documents are up to date and authentic.

In a related development, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has directed all F, M, and J visa applicants—including those seeking academic study, vocational programs, or exchange opportunities—to adjust their social media privacy settings to “public” with immediate effect.

This move is part of enhanced vetting procedures mandated under a Presidential Proclamation on national security that took effect on June 9, 2025.

According to a statement posted on the embassy’s website:

“All individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility under U.S. law.”

The embassy warned that applicants from countries under the new proclamation may face ineligibility for visa issuance or entry denial, even after attending their interviews.

The U.S. Department of State reiterated that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” and applicants must credibly demonstrate they will engage only in permitted activities.

The stricter policies are expected to impact thousands of Nigerian students and exchange visitors applying to U.S. institutions under the F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange visitor) classifications.

U.S. officials insist that these changes are necessary to protect American interests and prevent abuse of the visa system.

Despite the tightening, the U.S. emphasized its continued commitment to people-to-people ties, including educational, business, and cultural exchange programs with Nigeria.

“We look forward to continued cooperation with the Nigerian public and government officials to ensure safe and lawful travel between our two nations,” the U.S. said.

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