US to Require Visa-Exempt Visitors to Share Social Media Histories
The United States government plans to introduce a new rule requiring travellers from visa-exempt countries to disclose their social media activity before entering the country.
As outlined in an official notice published on Tuesday in the Federal Register, the policy will affect visitors from 42 nations eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, including the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and Japan. Currently, these travellers only need to complete the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which asks for basic personal information.
Under the proposed rule, providing social media account details and activity from the past five years would become mandatory for all ESTA applicants. According to the notice, visitors must submit “social media histories from the last five years,” representing a significant expansion of the information required for entry.
The proposal also indicates that the Trump administration seeks to collect “high-value data fields,” such as:
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Phone numbers used over the past five years
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Email addresses used in the past ten years
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Personal information of family members
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Biometric data
The public has 60 days to provide feedback on the proposed regulation before it becomes final.
This move is part of President Trump’s broader push to strengthen border security and tighten migration rules. Since returning to office, his administration has increased entry restrictions and deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce arrests.
The announcement comes as the US, alongside Mexico and Canada, prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an event expected to attract millions of international visitors. Analysts suggest the new requirements could influence the number of football fans planning to travel to the United States.
