US Resumes Student Visas With New Social Media Requirements
By Kabir Akintayo
The U.S. State Department has resumed processing student visas for foreign nationals, but with a new condition that applicants must now grant access to their social media accounts for government review.
According to a notice issued on Wednesday, consular officers will scrutinize social media content for any posts or messages perceived as hostile to the United States—its government, culture, institutions, or founding principles.
The department said it has lifted the temporary suspension placed in May on student visa applications. However, it warned that applicants who refuse to make their social media accounts public may be denied a visa. Such refusals, officials say, could indicate attempts to evade scrutiny or conceal online activity.
The Trump administration had last month halted new visa interview appointments for foreign students as part of preparations to expand social media screening procedures.
Prospective students across the globe, including many Nigerians, have been anxiously waiting for the reopening of U.S. consulates to secure interviews, book travel, and finalize housing arrangements ahead of the new academic session.
POLITICS DIGEST spoke with Nigerian students who expressed relief at the resumption of visa processing.
Samuel Johnson, a Ph.D. student at Florida State University who returned to Nigeria to renew his visa, said he was initially denied due to the suspension.
Read Also:
“I was traumatized after my rejection at the U.S. embassy over the F1 visa suspension, but now I feel relieved that the ban has been lifted. I can finally return to complete my education,” he said.
Ahmed Ambali, a prospective student of Texas University, also shared his experience:
“I’ve been trying to book an appointment since May, but the site wouldn’t open. I already paid the $185 visa fee, but it didn’t reflect on the system, and I couldn’t secure an appointment. I haven’t received a refund, but I believe things will be resolved now that the suspension has been lifted.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has urged 36 countries—including Nigeria—to improve vetting procedures for travelers or risk having their citizens barred from entering the United States. A diplomatic cable sent by the State Department over the weekend gave these countries a 60-day deadline to meet U.S. security requirements or face inclusion on the travel ban list, which currently affects 12 nations.
The existing ban already applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additional restrictions have been imposed on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and do not hold valid visas.
The administration has cited national security concerns in justifying the resurrected and expanded travel ban, a policy that disproportionately impacts travelers from Africa and the Middle East.
