US Considers Five-Year Social Media History Requirement for Visa Applicants
A proposal from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could require tourists from Europe and other regions to hand over five years of social media history before being granted entry to the United States. The potential rule change, impacting visitors who typically utilize the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), raises privacy concerns and could significantly alter international travel to the US.
The proposal stems from an executive order issued by President Trump in January, titled “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The administration has consistently prioritized strengthening US borders and curtailing what it deems illegal immigration throughout its first year in office.
Under the proposed conditions, the US State Department would conduct “online presence” reviews of applicants and their dependents. Individuals would be required to make their social media profiles publicly accessible and provide a comprehensive list of all handles used over the past five years. Failure to disclose this information could result in the denial of both current and future visas. The CBP has not yet specified what information would be scrutinized or what criteria would trigger disqualification.
Beyond social media, the CBP may also request applicants’ telephone numbers and email addresses from the last five and ten years, respectively, alongside details about their family members. This expanded data collection is expected to substantially increase processing times and enforcement costs. According to the CBP’s own estimates, implementing these changes would require an additional 5,598,115 man-hours annually – equivalent to approximately 3,000 full-time positions and associated expenses. Currently, an ESTA application costs $40, permits visits of up to 90 days, and is valid for two years.
The mandatory reporting requirements are already prompting concern among potential travelers. Reports from The Guardian indicate that some Australian tourists have canceled planned trips to the US for the upcoming World Cup, with one individual describing the new rules as “horrifying.”
Despite these concerns, President Trump expressed confidence that the proposal would not negatively impact tourism. “No. We’re doing so well,” he told a reporter. “We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come enter our country.”
However, a CBP spokesperson emphasized that the conditions remain a proposal. “Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States [currently],” the spokesperson told the BBC on Thursday. “This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.”
The potential rule would affect citizens of 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan. While visitors from Canada and Mexico – who account for nearly half of all tourists to the US – are exempt from ESTA or visa requirements, the changes would impact a significant portion of international travelers. Data from the National Travel and Tourism Office shows that travel to the US was already down three percent as of August 2025 compared to 2024, a trend that could be exacerbated by these new measures.
