A new warning from the United States Mission in Nigeria could affect visa applicants, with authorities cautioning against the use of AI-generated or edited passport photographs.
The mission said photographs altered with artificial intelligence or digital editing tools would not be accepted for visa applications, warning that such submissions could delay the processing of applications.
In an advisory issued on Saturday, the U.S. Mission stressed that passport photographs must be recent and must accurately represent the applicant’s current appearance. It explained that applicants are required to submit images that allow officials to confirm their identity during the visa process.
Do NOT use AI or digital editing tools on your passport photo. We will not accept photos that are edited or filtered”, the mission stated. The advisory added that photographs must have been taken within the last six months and should clearly resemble the person applying for the visa.
According to the mission, digitally enhanced images may create difficulties during identity checks and could significantly slow down application procedures.
Applicants were also advised to consult the official passport photo guidelines provided by the United States Department of State before submitting their documents.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate official photographs and documents, as immigration authorities increasingly rely on advanced facial recognition systems to verify travellers’ identities.
