The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced that visa applicants are now required to disclose all social media usernames and handles used within the past five years as part of their application process.

The directive, shared on the Mission’s official X handle on Monday, aligns with the U.S. Department of State’s renewed efforts to strengthen national security through enhanced screening procedures.

According to the Mission, applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles when completing the DS-160 visa application form.

It further cautioned that failure to provide accurate information could result in visa denial and possible ineligibility for future applications.

“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 post read.

“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.