By Palang Paul
The Trump administration is planning a major expansion of entry requirements for foreign visitors to the United States, including tourists from Britain and other Visa Waiver Programme countries.
Under the proposal, travellers would be required to submit up to five years of social media history, along with email addresses, phone numbers and detailed information about close family members.
According to a notice published in the US Federal Register, the policy is being considered by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and would apply to all foreign travellers, whether entering with a visa or through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). CBP says the new screening would be mandatory for everyone seeking entry.
The proposal also includes expanded biometric data collection during the online application process. Applicants may be required to upload a selfie, while authorities could collect facial scans, fingerprints, iris data and possibly DNA — measures previously limited to in-person checks at US ports of entry.
Although the administration has presented the move as a security measure, rights groups have raised concerns about privacy and freedom of expression.
Reports have increased since Donald Trump’s return to office of travellers being denied entry after border agents reviewed personal devices or online content.
The proposed rules are open to public consultation for 60 days, as debate intensifies over the balance between national security, privacy and free speech.
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