U.S. proposal would require certain visitors to submit their social media history from the past five years 

December 10,2025

RED FM News Desk

Some travellers to the United States may soon be required to submit their social media history from the past five years, under a new proposal from the Trump administration. 

The proposal, published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, would require visitors from countries participating in the visa waiver program to provide additional personal details as part of their electronic application. 

The rule would apply to those using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which allows citizens from 42 eligible countries—including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel, Qatar, and many European nations—to visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. 

ESTA applicants currently provide information such as passport details, date of birth, and any criminal history. The proposed changes would make it mandatory to submit social media account history, as well as other “high-value data elements,” including phone numbers and email addresses from the last five years. Applicants would also need to list the names, birth dates, birthplaces, residences, and phone numbers of their close family members from the same period. 

A question about social media accounts was first added to ESTA in 2016, but answering it has remained optional. Applicants who leave it blank are not penalized, according to the CBP website. 

The new proposal—open for public comment until Feb. 9—would make this information compulsory, though it remains unclear how the change would affect those seeking to travel to the United States.