The plan, introduced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, would apply to travelers from roughly 40 countries in the Visa Waiver Program, including Poland.
Visitors seeking 90‑day stays without a visa would be asked to provide their social media history in the ESTA travel authorization form. Officials have not specified which types of data would be required.
The proposal also calls for collecting phone numbers used in the past five years, email addresses from the past ten years, and more information about family members.
U.S. authorities cite a January executive order from President Donald Trump focused on protecting the country from foreign terrorism and other security threats. The rule will undergo a 60‑day public comment period.
Currently, ESTA applicants provide limited personal information and pay a $40 fee for multiple entries over two years. The Trump administration already requires social media disclosure for certain visa categories, such as student visas and H‑1B work visas.
Analysts say the expanded requirements could complicate travel and raise concerns about digital privacy, particularly as the United States prepares for a surge in visitors during next year’s World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
U.S. officials have also signaled that an existing travel ban affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean may soon be broadened. The announcement followed a shooting attack on two National Guard members in Washington, in which the suspect was identified as an Afghan national, a nationality already barred from entry.
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Source: BBC, TVN24