Travelers to the US from more than three dozen countries could soon be required to submit their most recent five years of social media activity for review before being allowed in.<\/p>\n
A proposal filed Tuesday by US Customs and Border Protection would require social media scrutiny of any potential visitor applying for so-called electronic travel authorization \u2014 which allows people from 42 countries to spend up to 90 days in the US without a visa.<\/p>\n
President Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One during travel to Pennsylvania from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Dec. 9, 2025. REUTERS<\/p>\n
The requirement is set to go into effect early next year, months before thousands of foreigners are expected to travel to the US to attend World Cup soccer matches.<\/p>\n
Under the current system, applicants from countries in the visa waiver program must provide a home address, phone number, email address and emergency contact information, along with a $40 fee.<\/p>\n
With the proposed changes, applicants will be asked to also submit all personal and business telephone numbers used in the past five years; personal and business email addresses used in the last decade; and the names, dates of birth, places of birth and addresses of immediate family members.<\/p>\n
Travelers to the US from more than three dozen countries could soon be required to submit their most recent five years of social media activity for review before being allowed in. REUTERS<\/p>\n
Travelers wait at a TSA security checkpoint at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Romulus, Mich. AP<\/p>\n
Countries that are part of the visa waiver program include Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Qatar, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration already requires a so-called \u201conline presence review\u201d of applicants for H-1B visas, given to skilled foreign-born workers, and their dependents.<\/p>\n
Those seeking student visas or entry into the US as part of educational or cultural exchange programs \u2014 such as professors, researchers or trainees \u2014 are also subject to social media vetting. <\/p>\n