U.S. Resumes Student Visa Processing With New Social Media Checks

The United States has resumed processing student visa applications for foreign nationals, implementing a new requirement that all applicants must make their social media accounts available for verification. This development follows a temporary suspension in May 2025, aimed at enhancing national security measures. The U.S. Department of State announced that applicants under the F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) nonimmigrant visa categories will undergo more intensive screening, including a review of their online presence. This move is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to strengthen national security and ensure that immigrants pose no threat to the United States and its citizens. The Department of State emphasized that a visa is “a privilege, not a right,” and that visa adjudications are now subject to national security decisions.

Under the new measures, visa applicants must present their social media profiles for visa processing. The U.S. government explained that applicants must prove they qualify for the type of visa they are requesting and must show readiness to engage only in activities stipulated within their application terms. The U.S. embassies and consulates across countries will soon begin scheduling appointments for student and exchange visitors, urging applicants to check their local embassy or consulate websites for further updates.

This resumption of student visa processing is particularly significant for Nigeria, which is a major player in international education. Nigeria currently ranks as the top African source of international students in the United States, with around 20,000 Nigerian students enrolled. This move is expected to provide a significant boost for Nigerian students seeking to study in the U.S.

Prior to this new directive, the U.S. Secretary of State ordered a suspension of student visa processing in May. The U.S. government temporarily halted the scheduling of interviews for student visa applicants across embassies and consulates worldwide, citing threats to national security and the need to restructure the applicants’ vetting process and tighten oversight of incoming international students. The move also aligned with the Trump administration’s decision to crack down on foreign students at U.S. universities by revoking visas and deporting those involved in protests against the war in Gaza. Politically, it accused them of supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

This crackdown is part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to target some of America’s most elite universities, such as Harvard, which he sees as too opposing and accuses of failing to combat antisemitism when pro-Palestinian protests unfolded on campuses. Harvard students protested after the government said it intends to cancel all remaining financial contracts with the institution, tagging it as Trump’s latest attempt to force submission to his ambition. In response, China called on the U.S. to protect international students, as hundreds of thousands of Chinese students attend U.S. universities. “We urge the US side to earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of international students, including those from China,” an official said. For U.S. universities, many of them rely on foreign students for a significant percentage of their funding, where scholars often pay higher tuition fees.