The United States has warned that Nigerian visa applicants who fail to provide their social media history from the past five years risk denial and future ineligibility.

In an update on X on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria said applicants are required to list all usernames or handles they have used on every platform within the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form.

“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 Mission said.

The new requirement comes as part of wider migration measures introduced under US President Donald Trump, who began his second term in January 2025. Last month, the Mission in Nigeria started screening the social media accounts of applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas. Monday’s update expanded the policy to cover all categories of visa applications.

The US has also tightened other visa conditions for Nigerians in recent weeks. In July, non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas were limited to a single entry with a three-month validity period, under the Trump administration’s reciprocal visa policy. Visas issued before July 8, 2025, however, remain valid.

Trump has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his administration, ordering mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and expanding visa restrictions. The White House said the measures are designed to protect national security and preserve the integrity of the immigration system.

The tougher stance comes as Nigerians remain one of the largest African immigrant groups in the US, with about 376,000 recorded as of 2015. The Nigerian diaspora also plays a major role in the country’s economy, sending home over $20 billion in remittances in 2023, according to World Bank data.