The United States Mission in Nigeria has warned Nigerians applying for US visas not to use artificial intelligence (AI) or digitally edited passport photographs, saying such images will not be accepted.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Saturday, the mission stressed that passport photographs must be recent, unedited and clearly reflect the applicant’s current appearance.
According to the mission, submitting AI-generated, filtered or digitally enhanced photos could significantly delay the visa application process.
“Do NOT use AI or digital editing tools on your passport photo. We will not accept photos that are edited or filtered.
“Your photo should be recent, taken within the past six months, and must clearly look like you. TSA or CBP officers must be able to recognise you. Submitting a digitally enhanced photo will significantly delay your application,” the statement read.
The US Mission advised applicants to follow the official passport photo requirements available on the US Department of State website when preparing their visa applications.
The advisory is part of broader efforts by US authorities to prevent the use of AI-manipulated images in official travel documents, as immigration and border agencies increasingly rely on facial recognition technology to verify travellers’ identities.
