US Resumes Student Visa Processing for Nigerians, Others With New Requirement
- The United States government has announced the resumption of student visa application services after halting them a month ago
- The US Department of State said all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts
- Data shows Nigeria currently sends more students to the US than any other African nation, with nearly 20,000 students enrolled
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The United States has announced that it will resume processing student visa applications at its embassies across the world.
The move follows a suspension in May 2025 that halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students aiming to study in the US.
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According to a statement from the US Department of State, new applicants will now face more stringent screening, including mandatory disclosure of their social media activity.
The updated guidelines require applicants to make their social media profiles public to aid in the review process.
The department stressed that this adjustment will apply to all individuals seeking student or exchange visitor visas under the F, M, and J categories.
US government added that its visa is a privilege, not a right.
Part of the statement reads:
"We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security.
“Under new guidance, the department will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to public.”
US govt goes tougher with its student visa
The State Department statement added that embassies and consulates abroad would soon begin scheduling new appointments for these visa categories, the nation reports.
However, prospective students were advised to check the embassy or consulate websites for updates on appointment availability.
It added:
"Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. All requirments is compulsory.
“We must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that individuals entering the United States do not pose a threat to our national interests.
"Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate clearly that they meet all eligibility requirements and that their intended activities align with the conditions of their visa."
US govt announces new visa fees for students
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians looking to travel to the United States will have to pay more to obtain their visa applications
Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visa categories will pay an average of $185 from $160.
Notably, these changes affect Nigerians and other global applicants seeking visas such as the B-1/B-2 visitor visa, F-1 student visa, H-1B work visa, and K fiancé(e) visa, among others.
A breakdown of all the new visa fees has been published, and they are payable at the point of application submission
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
