Australians planning a trip to the United States may soon have to disclose even more personal data for visa-free entry into the country.
A proposal from President Donald Trump’s administration, published in the US Federal Register, outlines plans to require anyone applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) to hand over detailed personal information, including their entire social media history from the past five years.
This information has been required for traditional tourist visas since 2019, but until now it has only been voluntary for ESTA applicants.
If the proposal goes ahead, it will become compulsory for travellers from about 40 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The plan would require visitors to list every social media handle, username or identifier used over the past five years. The proposal states that “the data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years”, but it does not state whether this applies only to public profiles or if private communications could also be reviewed.
It is widely believed the stronger screening measures are linked to the administration’s efforts to monitor critical online speech.
The changes would also require travellers to provide every phone number they have used in the past five years, including personal, work and temporary numbers, even if they are no longer active.
Travellers would also have to provide every email address they have used over the past decade, including old accounts, business emails and any linked to online services.
The proposal also calls for personal details about family members, including names, birth dates, birthplaces, addresses and phone numbers used within the past five years. It does not clearly define which relatives must be included or how the information will be assessed.
Biometric identifiers are mentioned too, with references to “face, fingerprint, DNA, and iris”. The US already collects fingerprints and facial scans at the border, but the proposal provides no further detail about the collection of other biometric data.
Trump defended the move at a White House event, saying: “We want safety. We want security. We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come enter our country.”
Since Trump returned to office in January, the administration has increased checks across several visa categories. Earlier this year, student visa and H-1B skilled worker applicants were told to make all their social media accounts public.
The Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection have opened the proposal to 60 days of public comment. The new rules will not take effect until the process is complete, which could take several months.
A US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told 7NEWS “this is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe”.
“The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, DC against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving”.
“This new proposal is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 to vet those who are coming into this country using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) by allowing CBP to collect additional information from non-US citizens applying through the visa waiver program from eligible countries,” the spokesperson said.
The proposal comes as the United States prepares for major tourism surges linked to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Travellers heading to these events could be denied entry if they fail to provide the required information or if concerns are raised about their online activity.
Aussies have reacted to the proposal online, with one Reddit user writing: “I mean I’d rather not bother… Plenty of other amazing places.”
“Fine by me as I have no interest whatsoever in visiting Trump’s US,” another added.
Image: 7News
