US may require five-year social media history from visa-waiver tourists

New Delhi, Dec 10: A new proposal by US authorities could require tourists from dozens of visa-waiver countries to submit five years of social-media history before entering the United States, the BBC reports. According to the proposal, filed by US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security and published in the Federal Register, applicants for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) would need to provide details of their social-media accounts from the past five years. The plan also calls for collecting telephone numbers used in the last five years, email addresses used in the last decade, and additional family information. The ESTA programme allows citizens of about 40 countries to visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa, after completing an online form and paying a $40 fee.

The new requirements would significantly expand the data applicants must provide.

The BBC notes that the move comes as President Donald Trump continues to tighten US border controls, citing national security. Analysts say the expanded data demands could deter visitors or raise digital-rights concerns. The proposal is subject to a 60-day public comment period. The report also highlights broader concerns about tourism trends under the Trump administration. The World Travel & Tourism Council has projected that the US could be the only major economy to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025, partly attributed to stricter travel policies and political backlash, including a sustained fall in Canadian visitors.