U.S. Government Proposes Requiring Social Media History for ESTA Travel, with Consequences for UK Citizens

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The U.S. government has proposed significant changes to the entry requirements for travellers who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a program that allows citizens of certain countries, including the United Kingdom, to visit the United States without a visa. The proposal would require applicants to disclose five years of social media history and other personal information before being granted authorisation to travel. (Federal Register)

What Is Being Proposed?

On 10 December 2025, a notice was published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), outlining planned revisions to the ESTA application process. (Federal Register)

Key elements of the proposed changes include:

• Mandatory disclosure of social media information from the past five years for all ESTA applicants. (Federal Register)
• Collection of additional personal data, such as:
• Telephone numbers used in the last five years;
• Email addresses used in the last ten years;
• Family member names, birth details, residences, and contact information;
• Biometric data, including facial images, fingerprints, DNA, and iris scans. (Federal Register)
• A shift in how ESTA applications are submitted — the proposal suggests moving away from the current web application in favour of mobile-only submission via an official app. (Federal Register)

These elements would be added to what is currently a relatively straightforward online form used to screen visitors from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries for basic eligibility and security checks.

Current ESTA Requirements

Under the existing system, travellers from eligible countries — including the UK — pay a fee and submit basic biographic data and eligibility answers online. Approved authorisations generally last two years and allow multiple short stays of up to 90 days.

Citizens of VWP countries currently may optionally provide social media handles, but choosing not to do so “does not negatively affect the application”. That option would disappear under the new proposal, as social media would become a mandatory data field.

Why the U.S. Government Is Considering the Change

According to the Federal Register notice, the expanded data collection is part of efforts to comply with Executive Order 14161, signed in January 2025, which instructs federal agencies to bolster vetting of foreign nationals entering the United States in order to counter national security threats. (Federal Register)

CBP has said that requiring additional data from ESTA applicants will strengthen screening processes before travellers arrive in the country. (Federal Register)

Public Consultation and Timeline

The proposal is currently not finalised. Official documents show that the public has 60 days from the Federal Register publication to submit comments before it is reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Only after this period and subsequent review could the rule move toward implementation. (Federal Register)

At this stage, there is no definitive date for when the changes would come into effect. That will depend on the outcome of the comment period and the administrative review process.

How UK Citizens Could Be Affected

If finalised, the new policy would apply to UK citizens because the United Kingdom participates in the Visa Waiver Program. This arrangement allows UK passport holders to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business without a visa, provided they obtain an approved ESTA.

Under the proposal:

• Social media history will be required — UK applicants will have to provide platforms and usernames or handles used in the past five years. (Federal Register)
• Additional personal data fields might add time and complexity to the application process, as well as raise privacy concerns for travellers. (Federal Register)
• Applicants may need to organise and document a significant volume of information that was previously optional or not collected at all.

How Social Media History Would Be Submitted

The Federal Register notice indicates that social media information would be submitted directly as part of the ESTA application, likely through the updated mobile application interface. Applicants would provide their accounts and handles, but officials would not require passwords or credentials.

Once submitted, CBP would use the public portions of these accounts to review content and connections as part of its vetting process.

Potential Consequences for Travel

Though the proposal is intended to bolster security, analysts and civil liberties advocates have warned that such requirements could:

• Delay or complicate travel approvals for UK and other VWP travellers. (The Washington Post)
• Raise privacy concerns, as foreign nationals might be required to disclose extensive personal information. (The Washington Post)
• Affect tourism and business travel, particularly to major U.S. events, if applicants perceive the requirements as overly intrusive. (CBS News)

However, until the proposed rule is finalised, these remain projections rather than confirmed effects.

Looking Ahead

Officials at CBP have confirmed that the proposal remains under review and has not yet been enacted. The outcome of the public comment period, scheduled to run into early 2026, will shape the next steps. (Federal Register)

For UK citizens planning travel to the United States later in 2026 and beyond, it will be important to monitor official CBP and DHS announcements and plan ESTA applications accordingly.