Recently, the United States government introduced a new proposal that could significantly change the entry process for millions of tourists seeking to enter the country. According to the Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border Protection Office, visitors, including those who can currently enter without a visa, may be required to provide and show up to five years of history from each of their social media accounts as part of their travel authorization application.
This new requirement would be part of the process known as ESTA, which is used by citizens of nearly 40 countries belonging to the Visa Waiver Program, including Japan, Spain, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In addition to social media history, the measure proposes requesting old phone numbers, family information, past email accounts, fingerprints, and even facial photographs.
United States authorities claim the intention is to strengthen national security, but analysts warn that the proposal could raise privacy concerns and discourage international tourism. For now, the plan is in a 60-day public comment period before a final decision is made.
Will this change affect those planning their next trip to the United States?
Absolutely. If approved, the process would become more rigorous and could take longer, as visitors would need to provide authorities with additional and detailed information about their online activity.