US Proposes Five-Year Social Media Check for Visa-Free Tourists

Tourists from dozens of countries, including the UK, could soon have to provide a five-year history of their social media activity before entering the United States. The proposal would affect travellers eligible for the 90-day visa-free Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) programme and comes as part of the Trump administration’s wider push to tighten border security.

President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House in January, stressed that the measures are intended to protect national security.

Asked whether the plan might reduce tourism, he said he was not concerned, adding, «We just want people to come over here, and safe. We want safety. We want security. We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people enter our country.»

The draft proposal, filed by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, also calls for applicants to provide telephone numbers from the past five years, email addresses from the past ten years, and additional details about family members. It has been published in the Federal Register and is open to public comment for 60 days.

Currently, ESTA applicants provide limited personal information and pay a $40 (£30) fee. About 40 countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Australia and Japan, are eligible for multiple visits over two years.

Digital rights advocates have warned the plan could infringe civil liberties. The policy follows earlier rules requiring social media checks for student and H-1B visa applicants. The State Department has said applicants must make social media profiles public for screening purposes.

Tourism Impact and Security Context

The move comes as the US anticipates a surge in visitors for the men’s football World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Officials have also indicated that an existing travel ban covering 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean may be expanded following security incidents.

Industry analysts have previously noted that similar policies have already affected tourism. The World Travel & Tourism Council reported that the US is the only one of 184 countries expected to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025. Canadian visitors, who historically account for around a quarter of all international arrivals, have declined for ten consecutive months in protest against US tariffs, reducing more than $20 bn in annual spending.