US to review social media history of visa waiver travelers

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) — US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Tuesday proposed a rule that would require travelers from Britain, France, Germany and South Korea to submit up to five years of their social media history under the US visa waiver program.

The proposal would apply to visitors allowed to enter the US for up to 90 days without a visa, provided they secure electronic travel authorization.

CBP said in a filing that it plans to seek extensive personal information from applicants, including social media accounts, email addresses from the past decade, and details about their parents, spouses, siblings and children, such as names, birth dates, birthplaces and places of residence.

CBP said it will open a 60-day public comment period on the proposal.

The agency noted that the plan follows earlier government steps requiring social media checks for certain visa categories, including H-1B skilled workers and student and scholar visa applicants.