Business Desk 
Dec 11, 2025
The US is considering a sweeping new policy that would require foreign tourists to share as much as five years of their social media history before entering the country.
The proposal, published this week by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is part of the Trump administration’s enhanced immigration and security controls.
If approved, the rule will affect visitors from over 40 countries currently included in the Visa Waiver Program, such as the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, and a number of European countries.
Currently, these travellers enter the US under the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which allows stays of up to 90 days.
US new rules visa-waiver visitors
The new rule would make the social media handles a mandatory data requirement on the ESTA form. The applicants would also be required to submit extra personal data “when feasible”, such as:
- Phone numbers called within the last five years
- Email addresses from the past decade
- IP addresses and metadata connected with photos uploaded
- A record of detailed biometrics: facial, fingerprint, DNA, and iris scans
- Family information: names, telephone numbers, dates, and places of birth, addresses
Immigration experts said that the changes reflect the administration's efforts to strengthen digital surveillance. WR Immigration Past President Farshad Owji said that the plan indicates a push to assess a traveller’s “political views and digital footprint.”
Even citizens from visa-exempt countries, such as the UK and France, would have to adhere to it. A recent selfie by the traveller may also form part of the screening process.
CBP has opened a 60-day public comment period before the rule can move forward. The proposal comes amid a series of announcements from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly pledged stricter immigration controls and hinted at further restrictions on entry from “third world countries”.
