The US is suggesting a tweak to its visa-free travel program that could affect millions of people who travel internationally.
The Department of Homeland Security released new rules today that say people who want to enter the country through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization will now have to provide their social media history over the last five years.
This proposed change, which was released in a public notice before it was officially listed in the Federal Register, is part of a larger effort to make the country safer.
The new rule is a direct result of Executive Order 14161, which was signed in January 2025 and calls for more screening to find foreign security concerns.
Right now, people who want to travel and apply for ESTA are only required to give their social media accounts if they want to.
But with the new guidelines, this information will have to be shared.
The DHS notification says, “The data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last five years.”
US Customs and Border Protection said that the move is needed to properly check identities, flag fake applications, and find possible security threats.
The new rules will need more personal information from candidates, in addition to their social media background.
CBP wants to include a variety of new “high-value data fields,” such as email addresses used in the last ten years, phone numbers from the last five years, IP addresses, and even information from images sent in with the application.
The new laws also need more specific family information and a larger range of biometric data, such as DNA samples, fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition.
The department noted that the additional data collection is in line with new federal criteria for biographic data that were released earlier this year. It also makes it easier for us to verify identities.
The proposal also includes a big change: moving from the ESTA web portal to a system that only works on mobile devices.
If the amendments are adopted, they will affect people from the 40 nations that are currently members of the US Visa Waiver Program.
There are about 14 million ESTA applications submitted every year, thus the effect on travel around the world might be substantial.
Before the modifications are made final, the DHS wants to hear what the public thinks about them.
The Federal Register will accept comments for 60 days after the publication date.
If the idea goes through, it will be one of the biggest extensions of digital identification and social media checks in US immigration history.
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