U.S. may require social media screening for visa-free visitors

According to the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is proposing to collect up to five years of social media data from travelers from select countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program. The proposal is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to increase monitoring of international travelers and immigrants.

The changes would affect citizens from more than three dozen countries who currently enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program by completing the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Unlike traditional visa applicants, these travelers are generally not required to attend interviews at U.S. embassies or consulates.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees the program, which allows travelers from roughly 40 mainly European and Asian countries to visit the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa.

Under the proposal, CBP would also begin requesting additional personal information, including phone numbers used over the past five years, email addresses used over the past ten years, metadata from submitted photographs, and extensive details about family members such as places of birth and contact information. Currently, ESTA applications request more limited information, such as parents’ names and a current email address.

The proposal will be open to public comment for 60 days before any changes can be implemented. CBP emphasized that the measure is not yet finalized and that existing travel requirements remain unchanged.

The agency said the proposal is part of an ongoing review of screening procedures and aligns with an executive order signed earlier this year aimed at strengthening national security by preventing the entry of potential threats. The notice referenced recent security concerns as part of the rationale for enhanced vetting.

While the proposal does not specify how social media information would be evaluated or what authorities would be seeking, CBP said it is following directives to expand background checks for travelers.

Travelers from countries outside the Visa Waiver Program are already required to submit social media information as part of the visa process, a policy that has been in place since the first Trump administration and continued under the Biden administration. However, visa waiver travelers have not previously been subject to this requirement.

Since January, immigration screening has intensified for both visa applicants and individuals seeking immigration benefits. New guidelines require some applicants to make social media accounts publicly accessible, with refusal potentially affecting visa decisions. Immigration officials also consider whether applicants have supported views deemed hostile to U.S. interests.

The proposed expansion of social media screening has raised concerns among immigration and civil liberties advocates, particularly regarding privacy and free speech implications.