The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken the first formal step toward requiring every traveller who uses the United States’ Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to hand over five years of social-media history and a decade of e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. A notice published on 10 December in the Federal Register outlines the new data fields that would be added to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application and invites public comment for 60 days.
If adopted, the policy would apply to nationals of the 40 VWP partner nations who currently enjoy the right to visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa. The move brings waiver-country travellers into line with applicants for most U.S. visas, who have been required to disclose social-media identifiers since 2019 and to provide extended biographical data since 2020. DHS officials say the expansion closes a “security gap” and will help identify travellers who present national-security, espionage or public-safety risks.
Privacy advocates and travel groups reacted with alarm. The American Civil Liberties Union warned the plan could chill free expression and conceal travellers’ online opinions behind self-censorship. The U.S. Travel Association said the extra questions could deter legitimate visitors, adding frictions that might cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost conferences, trade-show attendance and leisure spending. European Commission officials told reporters in Brussels that they were “reviewing the proposal’s compatibility with EU data-protection laws.” Industry analysts note that any drop in inbound short-term business travel would hit U.S. convention cities at a delicate moment, as 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations accelerate.
![DHS proposes mandatory social-media screening for Visa Waiver visitors]()
For travellers and mobility teams seeking clarity amid these shifting requirements, VisaHQ can help streamline the process. Its platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks real-time ESTA updates, sends renewal reminders, and assembles all supporting documentation in one place, enabling applicants to submit accurate information the first time and avoid costly delays.
Corporate mobility managers should prepare for longer lead times when sending employees from VWP countries to the United States in 2026 and beyond. Although ESTA approvals are valid for two years, any new questions added after the rule is finalised will have to be answered the next time a traveller’s authorization expires or when they obtain a new passport. HR departments are advised to update internal traveller-privacy policies, warn employees that social-media vetting is no longer confined to work visas, and budget for potential delays.
The proposal also removes the option to file ESTA via the CBP website, making the free ESTA Mobile App the sole application channel. CBP says more than 14 million people a year will be routed through the app once the change is live. That raises practical questions for travellers whose employers prohibit personal phones on the job or restrict app downloads on corporate devices. The public comment period ends 60 days from 10 December; DHS could publish a final rule as early as spring 2026, giving carriers and travellers limited time to adapt.
If adopted, the policy would apply to nationals of the 40 VWP partner nations who currently enjoy the right to visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa. The move brings waiver-country travellers into line with applicants for most U.S. visas, who have been required to disclose social-media identifiers since 2019 and to provide extended biographical data since 2020. DHS officials say the expansion closes a “security gap” and will help identify travellers who present national-security, espionage or public-safety risks.
Privacy advocates and travel groups reacted with alarm. The American Civil Liberties Union warned the plan could chill free expression and conceal travellers’ online opinions behind self-censorship. The U.S. Travel Association said the extra questions could deter legitimate visitors, adding frictions that might cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost conferences, trade-show attendance and leisure spending. European Commission officials told reporters in Brussels that they were “reviewing the proposal’s compatibility with EU data-protection laws.” Industry analysts note that any drop in inbound short-term business travel would hit U.S. convention cities at a delicate moment, as 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations accelerate.
For travellers and mobility teams seeking clarity amid these shifting requirements, VisaHQ can help streamline the process. Its platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks real-time ESTA updates, sends renewal reminders, and assembles all supporting documentation in one place, enabling applicants to submit accurate information the first time and avoid costly delays.
Corporate mobility managers should prepare for longer lead times when sending employees from VWP countries to the United States in 2026 and beyond. Although ESTA approvals are valid for two years, any new questions added after the rule is finalised will have to be answered the next time a traveller’s authorization expires or when they obtain a new passport. HR departments are advised to update internal traveller-privacy policies, warn employees that social-media vetting is no longer confined to work visas, and budget for potential delays.
The proposal also removes the option to file ESTA via the CBP website, making the free ESTA Mobile App the sole application channel. CBP says more than 14 million people a year will be routed through the app once the change is live. That raises practical questions for travellers whose employers prohibit personal phones on the job or restrict app downloads on corporate devices. The public comment period ends 60 days from 10 December; DHS could publish a final rule as early as spring 2026, giving carriers and travellers limited time to adapt.
