E-Paper
Submit social media, DNA & IP address to enter US: New notice could affect travellers from over 40 countries
The notice said that the public has 60 days to share their views on the proposed changes before they are implemented.
Foreign visitors who are part of America’s Visa Waiver Program may soon need to provide their social media history, telephone numbers and email addresses used, and even biometrics like DNA and iris scans, to enter the United States, according to a new notice by the US Customs and Border Protection, which is now out for public review.
As part of its screening process, the US will require social media history and other “high-value data fields” for travellers who can enter the country without a visa. This would affect visitors from 42 countries who are allowed to stay in the US for up to 90 days without a visa and are screened through an electronic system known as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation).
This move appears to be the latest in the Donald Trump-led administration’s measures to restrict immigration and comes days after a planned travel ban for nearly 30 countries after two National Guard members were shot dead in Washington.
Full list of information to be required
Here is a list of items that foreign visitors who are part of the visa-waiver program would need to submit, as per the official document by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP):
- Social media history from the last five years
- Telephone numbers used in the last five years
- Email addresses used in the last ten years
- IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos
- Family member names (parents, spouse, siblings, children)
- Family member telephone numbers used in the last five years
- Family member dates of birth
- Family member places of birth
- Family member residencies
- Biometrics – face, fingerprint, DNA and iris
- Business telephone numbers used in the last five years
- Business email addresses used in the last ten years
Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program?
America's Visa Waiver Program is for citizens of over 40 countries, according to the US Department of State. These include:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
When will they go into effect?
The notice said that the public has 60 days to share their views on the proposed changes before they are implemented.
CBP said in a statement on Wednesday that the rule has not taken effect and has not been finalised.
“Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States. This is not a final rule; it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe," the agency said in a statement.
“The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, DC, against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving,” the statement read.
People travelling from countries outside the Visa Waiver Program system already need to provide their social media details, a requirement first introduced during the initial Trump administration. The policy stayed in effect through Democratic President Joe Biden’s term in office.
With inputs from agencies
