Visa Tips 2025: How to Prepare Your Social Media for US Visa Interview to Avoid Rejection
- The United States has introduced a new visa policy requiring applicants to undergo social media vetting, sparking widespread concern over digital footprints
- Nigerian journalist Mayowa Tijani, a seasoned US traveller, has shared practical strategies to help applicants avoid rejection
- His advice depicted the importance of curating online content and using the policy to one's advantage
In light of the United States’ recent policy shift to scrutinise visa applicants’ social media activity, Nigerian journalist and frequent US visitor Mayowa Tijani has issued a cautionary guide to help individuals avoid rejection during the visa interview process.
Tijani, who has successfully travelled to the US on three separate occasions, stated that the new vetting procedure places significant weight on applicants’ online behaviour. He emphasised that careless posts, controversial tags, and ill-considered humour could now jeopardise one’s chances of securing a visa.
Source: Youtube
Speaking from experience, Tijani advised against hastily deleting old posts, warning that such content may already have been archived. “There are tools that can retrieve deleted posts,” he said, urging applicants to instead conduct a thorough review of their social media history before submitting their visa applications.
He also recommended that individuals untag themselves from contentious or politically sensitive posts across all platforms. “Set your social media in such a way that you cannot be tagged to unnecessary posts,” he added, noting that proactive privacy settings could serve as a protective measure.
Tijani further stressed the importance of being mindful about recent posts, particularly those involving sarcasm or humour that could be misinterpreted. “Be careful with your jokes and sarcasm,” he said, suggesting that even light-hearted content might be viewed unfavourably by consular officers.
Rather than viewing the policy as a threat, Tijani encouraged applicants to use it strategically. “Use this US visa policy to strengthen your advantage,” he said, proposing that individuals curate their profiles to reflect professionalism, civic engagement, and cultural awareness.
See the video below:
Who is Mayowa Tijani?
Mayowa Tijani is a distinguished Nigerian journalist, public speaker, fact-checker, and editor at TheCable. He holds degrees from the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, and earned a master’s in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex through the UK’s Chevening Scholarship.
Tijani is widely recognised for his work in development journalism and digital advocacy, including leading Nigeria’s first disability and inclusion news app, TheCable DINA.
Source: Getty Images
FG confirms 13.5m Nigerian accounts deleted
Legit.ng earlier reported that tech companies, including Microsoft, TikTok, and Google, have shut down about 13,597,057 accounts belonging to Nigerians from the platforms.
The Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, National Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Hajiya Hadiza Umar, said the accounts were deleted for offensive content and for violating Nigeria’s online code of conduct practice.
The platforms’ actions were contained in a Code of Practice 2024 Compliance Report sent to the government by promoters of interactive service platforms like Google, Microsoft, and TikTok, and others. According to reports, the Compliance report shows social media platforms’ efforts on online harm protection, and was issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), NITDA, and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Source: Legit.ng
