Currently, nationals from 42 countries — including Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the UK — may travel to the US for up to 90 days without needing a visa. If this proposal is enacted, travelers would need to provide their social media details when applying through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
This proposal surfaces as President Donald Trump continues to intensify restrictions on immigration. Earlier this year, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services suggested assessing the social media profiles of applicants seeking green cards, US citizenship, and those applying for asylum and refugee status. In parallel, the State Department began requiring visa applicants to make their social media accounts public starting in June. Trump’s interest in social media regulations is not new, as his earlier administration initiated similar demands for some visa applicants as well.
The CBP’s initiative would also necessitate travelers to provide additional data “when feasible,” which includes email addresses from the last 10 years, phone numbers from the past five years, detailed information about family members, and potentially biometric data. As reported by the NYT, travelers are currently required to submit their email address, phone number, home address, and contact information for emergencies.
The public is invited to provide feedback on the proposal for a duration of 60 days.
