The Trump administration is moving to significantly expand the data collected from travellers who enter the United States through the Visa Waiver Program, proposing mandatory disclosure of five years of social media activity along with extensive personal information.

A notice published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week outlines a plan to redesign the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) – used by citizens of 42 visa-free nations – into a mobile-only system that asks for much more detailed background information. The changes come amid a broader push by the administration to intensify vetting procedures across the US immigration system.

Why the new rules are being proposed

Under the proposal, visitors from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea would have to provide five years’ worth of social media history, email addresses used in the last decade and personal details about immediate family members, including their phone numbers and residential information.

The DHS notice said these requirements aim to comply with an executive order signed earlier this year by President Donald Trump, which seeks to block individuals deemed potential threats to national security or public safety. At present, ESTA applicants provide only basic information such as parents’ names, a current email address and disclosures of any criminal history. A question on social media details was added in 2016 but has remained optional.

What ESTA travellers can expect to share

According to the Federal Register notice, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intends to make the submission of five years of social media history mandatory. Additional proposed requirements include telephone numbers used in the past five years, email accounts used across 10 years and more detailed information on family members, including their birthplaces and contact history.

Officials also signalled plans to add “high-value data fields” where possible, such as metadata from uploaded photographs and biometric identifiers like fingerprints, DNA and iris scans. The announcement did not specify what CBP intends to evaluate in travellers’ social media accounts.

Concerns over tourism impact

Critics argue that the expanded data demands could deter tourists, especially with the US preparing to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Some warn that the increased scrutiny may discourage visitors months ahead of the major global sporting event.

The list of affected nations covers many European allies and key US partners across Asia and Oceania. Their citizens typically bypass lengthy visa interviews by applying online for ESTA approval, which allows stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business.

Part of wider tightening of US immigration vetting

The proposed ESTA overhaul is the latest step in an intensified vetting drive. Over the past year, various US agencies have expanded their screening of visa applicants and migrants already living in the country.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services, for instance, has instructed officers to review the social media activity of several immigrant categories, checking for posts or behaviours considered “anti-American”, and has tightened probes into the “good moral character” of applicants seeking US citizenship.

Public feedback period open

Travellers from non-Visa Waiver Program countries already face mandatory social media disclosure, a policy introduced during the first Trump administration and kept during Joe Biden’s presidency.

The new DHS proposal will undergo review by the White House budget office. Members of the public have 60 days to submit comments before the rule can be finalised.