U.S. to Mandate Travelers to Submit Five Years of Social Media History

(MENAFN) The United States will mandate travelers from Visa Waiver Program nations to disclose up to five years of social media activity, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposal released in the Federal Register Wednesday.

The sweeping requirement stems from an executive order issued in January and compels visitors to furnish social media records spanning the previous five years when completing their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications. ESTA determines whether foreign nationals qualify for visa-free entry to the U.S. for stays extending up to 90 days.

Beyond social platform histories, the proposal instructs applicants to submit supplementary information where available, encompassing phone numbers, email accounts, IP addresses, relatives' names, and biometric identifiers including fingerprints and facial scans.

The regulation would impact visitors from dozens of Visa Waiver Program participants, covering the majority of European countries alongside Australia, Japan, South Korea, and additional nations. Officials opened the measure for public feedback during a 60-day comment window.

The initiative represents the latest step in Washington's intensified immigration enforcement strategy. The U.S. State Department disclosed this week that 85,000 visas have been canceled since January—exceeding twice the revocation volume recorded during the prior year's corresponding timeframe.

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