Travellers from France heading to the United States on the Visa Waiver Programme will soon have to reveal their social-media user names when applying for an ESTA. The Connexion reports that US authorities confirmed on 20 February 2026 that the data field, first floated in 2025, will go live “by mid-2026” after the Department of Homeland Security finalises privacy safeguards.
![US Plans Extra ESTA Question – Including Social-Media Handles – For French Travellers]()
If the new rules feel daunting, VisaHQ can streamline the process: through its French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) you can complete or review an ESTA application, receive prompts for the upcoming social-media requirement, and get real-time alerts when DHS publishes the official start date—saving you from last-minute surprises.
The announcement has sown confusion: rumours on expat forums had suggested a February launch, prompting frantic calls to travel agents. DHS now says the exact start date will be published 90 days in advance, giving airlines and ESTA platforms time to update application interfaces. For French citizens the change means that, in addition to passport and background questions, they will have to list the social-media identifiers—Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok—used in the past five years. Officials insist passwords are not required; the goal is to “strengthen identity resolution and risk assessment”. Data will be stored for 12 years under existing ESTA rules. Business-travel compliance teams should brief employees on privacy implications. Failure to provide complete information could trigger ESTA denials, forcing travellers to apply for a full B-1/B-2 visa at the Paris embassy—currently a 60-day wait. Companies with frequent US travellers may want to run an early-registration campaign once the start date is fixed. The French Foreign Ministry has indicated it will raise the proportionality of the measure at the next EU–US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial. For now, travellers should monitor the ESTA website and double-check that their online personas are suitable for official scrutiny.
If the new rules feel daunting, VisaHQ can streamline the process: through its French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) you can complete or review an ESTA application, receive prompts for the upcoming social-media requirement, and get real-time alerts when DHS publishes the official start date—saving you from last-minute surprises.
The announcement has sown confusion: rumours on expat forums had suggested a February launch, prompting frantic calls to travel agents. DHS now says the exact start date will be published 90 days in advance, giving airlines and ESTA platforms time to update application interfaces. For French citizens the change means that, in addition to passport and background questions, they will have to list the social-media identifiers—Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok—used in the past five years. Officials insist passwords are not required; the goal is to “strengthen identity resolution and risk assessment”. Data will be stored for 12 years under existing ESTA rules. Business-travel compliance teams should brief employees on privacy implications. Failure to provide complete information could trigger ESTA denials, forcing travellers to apply for a full B-1/B-2 visa at the Paris embassy—currently a 60-day wait. Companies with frequent US travellers may want to run an early-registration campaign once the start date is fixed. The French Foreign Ministry has indicated it will raise the proportionality of the measure at the next EU–US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial. For now, travellers should monitor the ESTA website and double-check that their online personas are suitable for official scrutiny.
