-Measure Takes Immediate Effect
Monrovia, Liberia – The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia has implemented a stringent new visa screening policy requiring all F (student), M (vocational), and J (exchange visitor) visa applicants to set their social media profiles to public visibility. The immediate measure, announced today, aims to enhance identity verification and admissibility assessments under U.S. immigration law.
The policy shiftcomes as a significant tightening of screening procedures for Liberians seeking to study or participate in exchange programs in the United States. Embassy officials confirmed that consular officers will now systematically review applicants’ publicly available social media content as part of the standard vetting process.
In the context of U.S. nonimmigrant visas, F, M, and J visas all pertain to individuals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs in the United States, but they differ in the type of program and the nature of the study involved. F-1 Visa is for individuals who wish to pursue full-time academic studies at a U.S. educational institution, such as a college, university, or language school. M-1 Visa is for individuals who want to pursue vocational or non-academic studies, such as technical training or vocational schools. J-1 Visa is for individuals participating in exchange visitor programs approved by the U.S. Department of State, including research, teaching, and other cultural and educational exchanges. Essentially, F and M visas are for students, while J visas are for those participating in exchange programs. “Effective immediately, the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia says all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law,” the Embassy noted via its official Facebook page on Tuesday.
This move aligns with the U.S. State Department’s worldwide efforts to strengthen visa screening protocols. Since 2019, U.S. visa applications have included a mandatory field for social media identifiers, but the new Liberia-specific mandate goes further by requiring full public access.
Security analysts suggest the measure responds to growing concerns about document fraud and identity verification challenges in the region. Consular officials emphasize this complements rather than replaces existing documentation requirements. The U.S. Embassy processes approximately 2,500 student and exchange visas annually from Liberia, a number that has steadily grown since pandemic restrictions lifted.
Visa specialists recommend applicants allow extra processing time and prepare to discuss their online activity during interviews. The embassy has not specified whether this policy will extend to other visa categories in the future.
