The US plans to require visa-exempt tourists to disclose five years of social media history and other personal data under new travel rules.
WASHINGTON: The US administration plans to order visa-exempt foreign tourists to disclose their social media histories from the last five years before entering the country.
A proposal in a Federal Register notice would apply to visitors from 42 countries, including Britain, France, Australia and Japan.
These travellers currently only need an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) waiver.
Under the new rules, social media data collection would become mandatory for ESTA applications.
Applicants must also submit phone numbers from the last five years and email addresses from the past decade.
Other required “high-value data fields” include personal details of family members and biometric information.
The public has 60 days to comment on the proposal before any final implementation.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader tightening of US entry curbs and migration crackdown.
It comes ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the US will co-host with Mexico and Canada, expecting large influxes of international soccer fans.
