The United States Mission in Nigeria has defended its new visa application requirement, stressing that the safety and security of the U.S. remains the foundation of its immigration and visa decision-making process.
According to a report by Mediaplusng.com, the new directive mandates Nigerian visa applicants to provide all social media usernames and handles they have used in the last five years. This disclosure must be included in the DS-160 visa application form. The U.S. Mission warned that failure to provide complete information could result in visa denial.
Reacting to the development, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country will apply reciprocal measures for U.S. citizens seeking Nigerian visas. “The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the U.S. might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” said Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman of the ministry.
In a statement released on Monday via X (formerly Twitter), the U.S. Mission reiterated that all applicants undergo thorough vetting. According to Mediaplusng.com, the mission emphasized that the process is designed to keep the United States safe while maintaining a welcoming environment for genuine travelers.
“The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process,” the statement read.
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