Tourists coming into the United States (US), including from the United Kingdom, may soon have to share five years of social media details when applying to enter the US through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa-waiver system. Expanding the data collected from travellers seeking entry for short stays.
The proposal was filed by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and appeared in the Federal Register, the US government’s official journal.
The proposed change, according to BBC, would apply to nationals of around 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Australia and Japan, who are eligible to enter the US for up to 90 days without a visa. ESTA currently requires limited personal information and a single fee, allowing multiple entries over a two-year period.
The proposal states that “the data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years.” It also outlines plans to collect telephone numbers used by applicants over the previous five years, email addresses used over the previous 10 years, and additional details about family members.
Officials say the measure is linked to an executive order issued in January titled Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has directed agencies to tighten border rules, citing national security.
Reports cite that the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed data expansion.
Link to wider border and security policies
The Trump administration has introduced several measures increasing information requirements on foreign nationals. Social media disclosure has already been applied to applicants for student visas and H1B skilled-worker visas.
A senior State Department official said of the earlier student-visa policy: “It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing every single day.”
Guidance to officers has included screening for individuals “who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence.”
Officials recently signalled that an existing travel ban affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean could be expanded. The announcement followed a shooting attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC in which an Afghan man has been named as the suspect.
Concerns about digital rights and tourism effects
Digital-rights groups and immigration specialists have raised concerns about the latest proposal. Sophia Cope, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told the New York Times the plan could “exacerbate civil liberties harms.”
Immigration law firm Fragomen warned of possible delays for travellers if additional data leads to longer processing times.Analysts say the proposal may create obstacles for potential visitors and could affect digital privacy.
The change, according to BBC, comes as the US prepares to host major events, including the men’s football World Cup in 2026 with Canada and Mexico, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Tourism bodies have previously reported declines in foreign visitor spending. Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council said the US was the only one of 184 economies it studied expected to see a drop in international tourist spending in 2025.
Other policies have also appeared to influence tourism patterns, including reduced travel from Canada following tariff disputes. According to the US Travel Association, Canadians have historically accounted for about a quarter of international visitors, spending more than $20bn a year.
Read also: Why US revoked 85,000 visas in 2025, more than double last year’s total
