The United States Embassy in Uganda has tightened visa screening requirements for Ugandan nationals applying for nonimmigrant visas, requiring applicants to make their social media profiles publicly accessible for review and scrutiny.
In an official statement issued Tuesday, June 24, the Embassy directed that “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 directive is part of the enforcement of a Presidential Proclamation aimed at “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” which took effect on June 9, 2025
The Embassy further clarified that “applicants who are subject to this Presidential Proclamation may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States.”
This development underscores increased scrutiny of visa applicants as part of national security efforts by the US government.
Ugandan applicants seeking student (F and M visas) or exchange visitor (J visa) categories are urged to comply promptly to avoid processing delays or possible denial of visas.
