US Cracks Down on Visa-Free Travelers: What You Need to Know About Social Media and Family Data

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has proposed a significant expansion of information requirements for travelers from visa-exempt countries. As part of the plan, applicants for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be required to provide their social media username history for the past five years, as well as phone numbers used over the same period and extensive family information, including phone numbers and birthplaces, for up to 10 years. The move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to enhance national security, as outlined in Executive Order 14161, 'Protecting the United States against foreign terrorists and other national security threats.' The CBP will only access publicly available data and will not request passwords or login details. The new requirements will affect travelers from 42 countries, including Andorra, Australia, and the United Kingdom, who use the Visa Waiver Program to travel or do business in the US for up to 90 days without a traditional visa. The proposal, published in the Federal Register, aims to increase national security by gathering more information about foreign visitors. It's worth noting that the CBP will only access data that is publicly available, and travelers will not be required to provide passwords or login details. The new requirements are set to come into effect, with the exact timeline yet to be announced. Travelers from the following countries will be impacted by the new requirements: - Andorra - Australia - Austria - Belgium - Brunei - Chile - South Korea - Croatia - Denmark - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Iceland - Ireland - Israel - Italy - Japan - Latvia - Liechtenstein - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Malta - Monaco - Norway - New Zealand - Netherlands - Poland - Portugal - Qatar - United Kingdom - Czech Republic - San Marino - Singapore - Sweden - Switzerland - Taiwan The proposal is a continuation of the Trump administration's efforts to increase information requirements for foreign visitors, and it remains to be seen how the new requirements will be implemented and enforced.