Tourists planning to visit the United States, including Italian citizensThey will need to provide their social media history for the last five years. The requirement is contained in a document from the US Department of Homeland Security, published this Wednesday (10).
The new rules, according to article in Corriere della SeraThese rules apply to travelers using the visa waiver program, such as citizens of the European Union. Currently, providing information about social media is optional. The proposal aims to make this item mandatory in the entry application.
O electronic travel authorization system (ESTA) It allows stays of up to 90 days without a visa in 42 countries. The proposal includes changes to data collection, with a 60-day public consultation period before implementation.
Today, travelers applying for ESTA must pay $40 and provide information such as address, phone number, email, and emergency contact. The authorization is valid for two years.
The new proposal includes technological changes to the process. The current ESTA website is expected to be discontinued, with registration being done exclusively through an app. The use of selfies and geolocation will also be required to certify travelers' departure from the country.
In addition to social media history, the proposal calls for the collection of the following data:
- Phone numbers used in the last five years;
- Email addresses used in the last ten years;
- IP addresses and metadata of uploaded photos;
- Family information, including names, dates and places of birth;
- Phone numbers and addresses of family members;
- Biometric data: face, fingerprints, DNA and iris;
- Professional contacts used in the last five years.
According to the document, the estimate is 14,5 million users for the new application. The average completion time varies depending on the method: eight minutes for the paper form, four minutes for the website, and 22 minutes for the app.
The effective date has not yet been confirmed. Experts point to the second quarter of 2026. says CorriereThe deadline for submitting suggestions is February 9, 2026. After this period, the text will be reviewed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
