The United States Mission in Nigeria has directed all visa applicants to disclose their social media usernames and handles from the past five years as part of the application process.

The directive, announced on Monday via the Mission’s official X account, aligns with the U.S. Department of State’s recent efforts to strengthen national security through enhanced screening measures.

According to the Mission, applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles when completing the DS-160 visa application form. It emphasized that any omission of information could result in visa denial and possible ineligibility for future U.S. visas.

“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form,” the Mission stated.

“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,” it added.