Liberians seeking U.S. student or exchange visas must now grant American authorities access to their social media accounts, as part of a wider policy tightening immigration screening, according to a June 18 statement by the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. The embassy specified that applicants for F (student), M (vocational student), or J (exchange visitor) nonimmigrant visas are now “requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’” to assist in verifying identity and eligibility under U.S. immigration law.
This directive is part of a broader U.S. policy under President Donald Trump’s administration to strengthen national security and curb potential threats. The U.S. State Department emphasized that a visa is “a privilege, not a right,” and that the measure aims “to ensure those applying for admission do not intend to harm Americans or national interests.”
Liberians are not being singled out. The same social media disclosure requirements apply to applicants worldwide, including citizens of close U.S. allies such as the UK, Canada, and Germany. In recent months, even legal permanent residents and tourists from those countries have faced heightened scrutiny or temporary detention at U.S. ports of entry.
The new policy aligns with Trump’s broader immigration stance since resuming office in January 2025, which includes increased vetting, expanded use of facial recognition technologies, and a crackdown on visa overstays. Critics argue the move raises privacy concerns, while U.S. officials maintain it is necessary to safeguard national security.
