The U.S. plans to mandate social media inspections for certain international tourists, requiring them to submit up to five years of their online activity when applying for travel.
The notice was issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday, opening a 60-day period for public comments.
The move comes as part of a broader series of travel restrictions under the Trump administration following recent security incidents and ongoing concerns about foreign visitor vetting.
What they are saying
According to CBP, tourists from countries in the Visa Waiver Program, including Britain, Australia, France, and Japan, will need to include their social media history in their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications.
The agency said it will also collect “several high value data fields,” including email addresses used in the past ten years, telephone numbers from the past five years, and names and details of family members. Applicants will also be required to upload “selfies” to improve verification processes.
The proposal is part of escalating measures to restrict foreign travel, following an attack near the White House involving a visitor from Afghanistan.
Trump vows to halt migration from Third World countries
President Donald Trump last month pledged to permanently pause migration from what he calls Third World countries and reverse admissions made under the Biden administration. This follows a tragic shooting in Washington, where a Virginia National Guard member was killed by an Afghan national admitted under a Biden-era program
He argued that the U.S. immigration system has strained public services and contributed to social and economic challenges.
Trump cited census data, claiming the foreign-born population has reached 53 million, and said federal and state governments face increased fiscal burdens from recent migrant arrivals. He criticized Biden’s policies for creating uneven resettlement outcomes and rising costs, pointing to states like Minnesota as examples of communities struggling to integrate refugees.
What you should know
The measure reflects a global trend of increasing scrutiny of digital footprints as part of security and immigration decisions.
The US had earlier disclosed that all visa applicants would be required to provide their social media handles used over the past five years as part of the application process. The directive applies to the DS-160 form, the standard application for non-immigrant visas, and requires applicants to list usernames or handles for every social media platform they have used during that period.
Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.
