US To Ask Visitors For 5 Years Of Social Media History Under New Plan

The United States is planning to require visitors from dozens of countries on the visa waiver program to provide up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection posted to the Federal Register on Wednesday. 

Countries on the list include much of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Qatar, Israel, Chile and Brunei. Citizens or nationals of these countries have been allowed to freely travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. If the proposal is adopted, they’ll have to share their online footprint – something that immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants from different categories have been required to provide since 2019. 

According to the proposal, adding social media would be a “mandatory data element” for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application, WaPo reports, adding that applicants would also be required to provide additional information “when feasible.” 

The list also includes; 

• Telephone numbers used in the last five years
• Email addresses used in the last 10 years
• IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos
• Biometrics – including facial, fingerprint, DNA and Iris data
• Information about one’s family – including  names, telephone numbers, dates of birth, places of birth and residences.

The CBP proposal is open for a 60-day public comment period. 

ESTA – an automated system, costs $40 and is generally valid for two years. An ESTA holder can enter multiple times during that period.

Farshad Owji, past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and partner at law firm WR Immigration, told the Post that it appears the Trump administration wants to evaluate social media histories to “understand the person’s view of general politics around the world.”

The proposal would also require applicants to apply for ESTA via a mobile app, and would remove the option from the government’s website. According to CBP, over 14 million people will use the mobile app annually after the changes come into effect.