(C) Siam Legal

The Trump administration has proposed a significant escalation in the vetting process for individuals seeking to enter the United States, including those utilizing the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and student visa applicants. The core of the new proposal mandates the submission of five years of social media usage history, along with expanded biographical and family data, marking a substantial tightening of entry requirements.

 
Mandatory Social Media for ESTA Applicants

According to reports citing CNN and a proposal posted in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the administration is seeking to make the disclosure of social media history compulsory for travelers from VWP countries applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Previously, since 2016, providing social media information was optional on the ESTA application. The current proposal, however, would require citizens from the 42 VWP nations—including key allies like the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel, and Qatar—to submit their social media handles from the past five years.

The proposed changes also expand the scope of other mandatory personal data, demanding:

Five years of personal phone numbers and email addresses.
The names, dates of birth, places of birth, places of residence, and phone numbers of immediate family members.
The proposal is currently undergoing a public comment period, set to conclude on February 9, 2026. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees CBP, the specific application methods and consequences for non-compliance are still being clarified.

 
Broader Vetting for Student Visas and Immigrants

This move is part of a broader overhaul of the U.S. immigration system being spearheaded by the Trump administration, which has consistently tightened screening procedures for all forms of entry, both legal and illegal, over the past 11 months.

Crucially, the enhanced scrutiny extends to student visa applicants. The U.S. State Department issued guidelines in June 2025 directing embassies and consulates to assess whether applicants demonstrate attitudes hostile to U.S. citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles. The guidelines suggest that applicants may be required to set their social media profiles to public visibility, with the lack of an online presence potentially resulting in a negative assessment.

This policy shift reflects the administration's intent to treat social media activity as a significant factor in the legal entry and visa review process for both short-term visitors and prospective immigrants. The objective is clearly to leverage online activity to better assess potential security risks and an applicant's alignment with U.S. values before granting access to the country.

 
Global Implications and Next Steps

The initiative is already raising concerns among international travel and civil liberty groups. Critics argue that mandatory social media disclosure constitutes an invasion of privacy and could lead to discriminatory outcomes based on subjective interpretations of online posts. Proponents, however, view the measure as a necessary tool for counterterrorism and border security, allowing authorities to detect extremist views or fraudulent intentions that traditional background checks might miss.

As the administration continues to push for comprehensive immigration reform, the outcome of the public comment period and the ultimate implementation of these rigorous vetting rules will be closely watched by international travelers and governments worldwide.