Tourists from 42 countries covered by the visa waiver program would have to hand over their social media history from the last five years to be able to enter the United States, according to a new proposal presented this Wednesday by the Government of President Donald Trump.
The initiative led by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aims to examine the activity of travelers entering the United States under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA, in English).
The proposal published in the Federal Register seeks to expand the information it collects on travelers who enter the country for a period of three months under the visa waiver program.
THIS welcomes tourists and travelers from 42 countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Japan, Israel and Qatar, among others.
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In addition to the collection of 5 years of social media information, the proposal seeks to increase the amount of data required from travelers such as applicant phone numbers and email addresses, used over the last ten years.
It also requests information from the traveler’s family, such as names, dates of birth and place of birth, among others.
The plan also includes a new mobile tool for any foreigner to register their departure from the United States.
CBP has justified the initiative by citing an order from President Donald Trump, issued last January to protect the United States against foreign terrorists and other threats to national security and public safety.
The public will have the opportunity to submit comments for the measure, which represents an obstacle for tourists, especially for the 2026 World Cup, which attracts a large number of tourists from countries covered by ESTA.
With information from EFE
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