A chilling proposal is emerging from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that could fundamentally alter international travel to the United States. Soon, visitors from dozens of countries may be compelled to hand over five years of their social media history as a condition of entry.
The plan, recently detailed in a Federal Register filing, targets travelers from visa waiver program nations – including popular destinations like the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Japan – who intend to stay for 90 days or less. It’s a dramatic escalation of data collection, moving far beyond the current requirements of a simple email address and phone number.
Imagine being asked to provide a digital dossier of your life, a comprehensive record of your online interactions. This isn’t just about usernames and passwords; the proposal demands a decade’s worth of email addresses, five years of phone numbers, and even details about your family members and their contact information.
The scope extends to the very fabric of your digital footprint. Expect to submit IP addresses, metadata from any photos you share online, and potentially even biometric data – facial recognition scans, fingerprints, or even DNA information. A mandatory “selfie” will now accompany the standard passport photo.
This isn’t a finalized rule, but rather the opening salvo in what officials describe as a discussion about enhancing national security. However, experts fear a chilling effect on tourism, suggesting that a lack of social media presence could be interpreted as suspicious behavior.
The travel industry is already voicing concerns. The U.S. Travel Association warns that overly burdensome screening processes could drive international visitors to other destinations, jeopardizing a sector already struggling to recover.
This proposal arrives alongside a series of new financial burdens for international travelers. A $100 fee, or a $250 annual pass, is slated to be imposed on visitors to many of America’s most beloved national parks starting in 2026. Earlier this year, a $250 “visa integrity fee” was added for those traveling on nonimmigrant visas.
The cumulative impact is already being felt. International travel to the U.S. is projected to decline this year – the first drop since 2020 – and the country is estimated to lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending by 2025. The looming question is whether these policies will ultimately isolate America from the global community.
A 60-day comment period is now underway, offering a crucial opportunity for the public and affected agencies to weigh in on this potentially transformative proposal. The future of international travel to the U.S. hangs in the balance.
