The United States is moving to tighten security checks for visitors entering the country under its visa-free travel programme, a change that could affect millions of international travellers.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that applicants for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) will soon be required to submit their social media history covering the past five years.
The proposal, outlined in a public notice ahead of its publication in the Federal Register, is part of broader national security measures directed by Executive Order 14161, signed in January 2025. The order mandates stronger screening procedures to better identify potential foreign security threats.
At present, ESTA applicants are only asked to provide their social media handles voluntarily. Under the new guidelines, however, this information will become compulsory.
“The data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last five years,” DHS confirmed in the notice.
