₦airaland Forum

The United States is proposing a change to its visa-free travel programme which could impact millions of international travellers.

Under new guidelines announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, individuals seeking entry through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation will now be required to provide their social media history from the past five years.

This proposed revision, published in a public notice ahead of its formal listing in the Federal Register, is part of a broader effort to enhance national security.

The new rule is a direct response to Executive Order 14161, signed in January 2025, which calls for increased screening measures to identify foreign security threats.

Currently, travellers applying for ESTA are only asked to voluntarily submit their social media accounts.

However, under the new rules, this disclosure will become mandatory.

“The data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last five years,” the DHS notice states.

US Customs and Border Protection explained that the change is necessary to better verify identities, flag fraudulent applications, and detect potential security risks.

In addition to social media history, the new regulations will expand the amount of personal information required from applicants.

CBP plans to include several new “high-value data fields,” such as email addresses used in the last 10 years, phone numbers from the past five years, IP addresses and even metadata from photos submitted during the application process.

The revised rules also call for more detailed family information and a wider array of biometric data, including facial recognition, fingerprints, iris scans, and even DNA samples.

The department said that the expanded data collection aligns with updated federal biographic-data requirements issued earlier this year and strengthens our ability to verify identities.

Another major change in the proposal is the transition from the ESTA web portal to a mobile-only application system.

The changes, if approved, would affect travellers from the 40 countries currently participating in the US Visa Waiver Programme.

With over 14 million ESTA applications processed annually, the impact on global travel could be significant.

The DHS is seeking public feedback on the proposed changes before they are finalised.

Comments will be accepted for 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

If the proposal moves forward, it will represent one of the most extensive expansions of digital identity and social media vetting in US immigration history.

Source: https://punchng.com/us-proposes-mandatory-five-year-social-media-history-for-visa-free-travellers/

Death to America geng exited the group chat.

Na them Sabi, na their country

Doesn't this count as invasion of privacy

Very good. You can't be supporting Hamas or Boko Haram and you want to go to America. All Jihadists must not step into America again

If you miss America, you miss heaven.

Wetin go con happen now as I don yab Donald Trump well well.....and they know i am a fan of the Democrats.

O ti lo ni yen

DrAda:
Doesn't this count as invasion of privacy

Which privacy? Trump loves his country and wants to protect America from Jihadists, Hamas and Boko Haram sympathizers and others

This is serious. Nigeria should also apply the same measure too.

atiku4President:
Very good. You can't be supporting Hamas or Boko Haram and you want to go to America. All Jihadists must not step into America again

If I provide my nairaland account will it suffice?

lapintoz:
Wetin go con happen now as I don yab Donald Trump well well.....and they know i am a fan of the Democrats.

O ti lo ni yen

+
Chill he will not be there forever

atiku4President:
Which privacy? Trump loves his country and wants to protect America from Jihadists, Hamas and Boko Haram sympathizers and others

In the last 20 years,what acts have those groups you mentioned carried out on US soil?

atiku4President:
Which privacy? Trump loves his country and wants to protect America from Jihadists, Hamas and Boko Haram sympathizers and others

+
Trump has no love for anyone or anything other than himself.

DrAda:
Doesn't this count as invasion of privacy

If you don't want to provide the info then stay in your own country

DeepSight:
+
Trump has no love for anyone or anything other than himself.

That is the best way to achieve positive results as a president

Ikosa1:
This is serious. Nigeria should also apply the same measure too.

Beg beg no fit. Ghana better pass them for that one

This is for the citizens of countries that benefits visa free from US.

It is not applicable for Nigeria and other countries' citizens that are not on visa free to United States.

Mccullum:
This is for the citizens of countries that benefits visa free from US.

It is not applicable for Nigeria and other countries' citizens that are not on visa free to United States.

it's applicable to Yoruba Muslims and Nigeria

The US and the world at large are very lucky that USA has very strong institutions, otherwise, oppositions home and abroad for see shege for this man hand.

Trying hard to stifle freedom of speech.

DrAda:
Doesn't this count as invasion of privacy

and you wey no stay for your country nko, no invasion to another person country you dey do?

What are they looking for
I can bet you'd go scot-free if your social media accounts are full of curses for America.

They're only looking for any mention of Sh.ITre.al in people's private chats.

Zionists will destroy America.

Useless rules...they should focus on gun violence

Trump should focused on epstien files that will hunt him once he leaves office. It accuses him of homosexuality and pedophilia. He should be more worried about his alleged disgusting acts with Bill clinton.

This guy won't end well because he decieved the somali population there and obtained maximum votes , just like he did Mexicans

If it will help secure their state,its fine ...i guess they know what they are doing..

Yes This is good for the religion of qiss .... You can shout deeth to America and still want to to run there for succour when ur own country is destabilized.

jeff1993:
Yes This is good for the religion of qiss .... You can shout deeth to America and still want to to run there for succour when ur own country is destabilized.

Is your own country not a shit hole too? You don even chop today?

Mccullum:
This is for the citizens of countries that benefits visa free from US.

It is not applicable for Nigeria and other countries' citizens that are not on visa free to United States.

You've not kept up with the news.

Citizens of countries that require visas have needed to provide their social media history from around 6 months ago.

Chenzy:
If it will help secure their state,its fine ...i guess they know what they are doing..

Why not create a shrine so you can worship Trump?