Travelers to the US from more than three dozen countries could soon be required to submit their most recent five years of social media activity for review before being allowed in.
A proposal filed Tuesday by US Customs and Border Protection would require social media scrutiny of any potential visitor applying for so-called electronic travel authorization — which allows people from 42 countries to spend up to 90 days in the US without a visa.
The requirement is set to go into effect early next year, months before thousands of foreigners are expected to travel to the US to attend World Cup soccer matches.
Under the current system, applicants from countries in the visa waiver program must provide a home address, phone number, email address and emergency contact information, along with a $40 fee.
With the proposed changes, applicants will be asked to also submit all personal and business telephone numbers used in the past five years; personal and business email addresses used in the last decade; and the names, dates of birth, places of birth and addresses of immediate family members.
Countries that are part of the visa waiver program include Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Poland, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
The Trump administration already requires a so-called “online presence review” of applicants for H-1B visas, given to skilled foreign-born workers, and their dependants.
Those seeking student visas or entry into the US as part of educational or cultural exchange programs — such as professors, researchers or trainees — are also subject to social media vetting.
In a June cable, the State Department instructed visa processing officials to watch for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States” as well as “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to US national security” and “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.”
On Oct. 1 of this year, the administration imposed an additional $250 visa fee, which applies to travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India and Mexico, none of which are part of the visa waiver program.
