The United States Government has announced plans to introduce a compulsory social media screening policy for foreign nationals entering the country under its visa-waiver programme.

According to an official notice published on Tuesday in the Federal Register, the proposal will require travellers from 42 visa-exempt nations, including the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Japan, to submit details of their social media history before they are allowed entry into the US.

At present, visitors from these countries are only required to obtain the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which mandates the submission of basic personal information.

However, under the new proposal, applicants will be compelled to disclose all social media accounts and activity spanning the last five years as a mandatory component of the ESTA application process.

The notice explained that the requirement to provide “social media histories from the last five years” represents a significant expansion of the categories of personal data the US collects from visa-free travellers.

It added that the administration of President Donald Trump also intends to gather what it described as “high-value data fields,” which include phone numbers used within the last five years, email addresses used over the past ten years, personal details of family members, as well as biometric information.

The public has been given a 60-day window to submit comments and observations on the proposed rule before it is finalised.

The proposed policy forms part of the US Government’s renewed crackdown on irregular migration and enhanced border security measures. Since returning to office, President Trump has introduced stricter entry requirements, including the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to make arrests.

The United States is scheduled to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, an event expected to attract millions of international visitors.

Observers say the heightened screening measure could affect the number of football fans willing to travel to the US for the global tournament.