The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria wants your social media. For five years. Every handle.

No Social Media History – No VISA!

By: Olalekan Abudu


So, listen up if you’re trying to get a visa. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria just dropped a new requirement. Big one. They want you to list out all your social media usernames and handles. For the last five years! Every single platform you’ve been on. This whole directive came out on their official X account on Monday.

Apparently, it’s part of this big security push the U.S. Department of State is doing. They want to make sure they’re “bolstering national security,” you know. So, yeah. You gotta list it all on that DS-160 visa application form. And they’re not playing around. They specifically said, and I quote, “Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.” You better start remembering every single handle you’ve ever had.

So. You’re applying for a U.S. visa.
Good. That’s the dream.
But here’s the twist—now you gotta hand over your whole digital life.

Five years. All of it.
Facebook? Check.
Instagram? Yep.
Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn— etc, just every single one you’ve been ON
Yeah. They want it.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria dropped this on Monday. A quick post on X. No fanfare. Just: “List every handle you’ve ever used.”

No exceptions. No “I forgot.”
If you skip it? Game over. Visa denied. And maybe even future applications blocked.

Like they say it’s for security.
Fine. One seconds, let’s be real—this isn’t just about terrorism or threats.
It’s about what you liked. Who you followed. What you posted during that weird phase when you thought memes were art.

You know the ones.
That time you made fun of a politician.
Or shared a photo with friends at a party.
Or just vented online after a bad day.

Now? That’s all fair game.

And honestly? It’s kind of terrifying.
Not because they’ll find something illegal.
But because they might misread it.
A joke. A meme. A post from 2021 that now feels… cringe.

Still. You have to do it.
Fill out the form. List everything.
Even the accounts you didn’t use in years.
Even the ones you deleted.
Because the system doesn’t care.

It’s not just a form.
It’s a full audit of your past.
Your thoughts. Your connections. Your life online.

And yeah, maybe it’s necessary.
Maybe it’s safer.
But sometimes, you wonder—what are we trading for security?

Privacy? Maybe.
Freedom to be messy? Definitely.

One thing’s clear:
The next time you post something dumb—just think.
Someone might be reading it.
Years later.
For your visa.