The United States is considering new requirements for international visitors under the Visa Waiver Program A 5-year social media history and 10-year email history will be requested from travelers without a visa. Fears of delays and application rejections.
The United States is moving forward with one of the strictest travel control measures in recent years: mandatory submission of a five-year social media history, even for travelers from countries that do not require a visa. The move by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (C.B.P.) is shocking the international tourism market, with experts warning of delays, enhanced checks, a blow to arrivals, and serious privacy violations.
Under the new framework, ESTA ceases to be a simple process and becomes an extensive investigation of digital and personal profiles, potentially affecting millions of travelers.
According to the proposal published in the Federal Register, the United States will require citizens of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, South Korea and all Visa Waiver Program countries to provide documents with the following history:
- 5 years of social media
- 10 years of email
- Full details of first-degree relatives
Specifically, in a document submitted on Tuesday to the Federal Register, C.B.P. stated that it plans to establish new requirements for applicants, which will include a long list of personal data, including social media accounts, email addresses from the past decade, and the names, dates of birth, places of residence, and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings, and children.
This change will affect visitors under the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens from 42 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, provided they first obtain an electronic travel authorization.
Under the current system, applicants from visa-exempt countries must register in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). They pay $40 and provide an email address, a home address, a phone number, and emergency contact information. The authorization is valid for two years.
Immediate implementation of the measure if approved
C.B.P. stated that the proposal will be open for a 60-day consultation. If approved, C.B.P. could implement the changes gradually in the coming weeks, according to the immigration law firm Fragomen, speaking to the New York Times.
Fragomen warns that checks will no longer be limited to fact verification but will include evaluation of online behavior, with the possibility of rejecting travelers based on online conduct.
Bo Cooper, a partner at the firm, calls it a paradigm shift, noting that the process will rely on authorities discretion regarding what is considered acceptable or not. This opens the way for longer wait times, increased rejections, and continuous monitoring of travelers.
The plan is the latest in a series of measures by the Trump administration aimed at limiting entry to the country. A travel ban for about 30 countries was recently announced following shootings of two National Guard members in Washington.
Negative forecasts for incoming U.S. tourism
This proposal is expected to worsen an already strained inbound tourism industry in the United States.
The U.S. is on track for a sharp decline in international visitors and travel spending this year. May data showed that the country is expected to lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025, with visitor spending estimated to fall below $169 billion by the end of the year.
The country is also expected to experience its first drop in international tourists in the past five years, with approximately 67.9 million visits forecast for this year, down from 72.4 million in 2024, according to the US Travel Association.
