The U.S. Donald Trump administration will require foreign tourists to submit five years of social media (SNS) activity.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said on the 10th (local time) in a notice posted in the Federal Register that it will push to require the submission of SNS records for short-term foreign visitors entering visa-free through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
ESTA-eligible countries include about 40 nations in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), such as Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Japan.
In a document submitted to the Federal Register, CBP said, "To comply with Executive Order 14161 in Jan. 2025 (Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security Public Safety Threats), social media will be added as a 'required data element' when applying for ESTA."
CBP added that, in addition to five years of SNS history, ESTA applicants will be asked for five years of phone numbers, 10 years of email addresses, family members' names, dates of birth, residence and place of birth, and biometric information such as facial data, fingerprints, DNA and irises.
Currently, those entering the United States through ESTA pay a $40 fee (about 58,000 won) and submit email and home addresses, phone numbers, and emergency contact information. ESTA is valid for two years.
CBP said it will gather public comments on the proposal over the next 60 days. The New York Times (NYT) reported that if the measure is finalized, CBP will gradually implement the changes over the next few weeks to months.