Israelis entering the United States for the first time will be among the foreigners subject to a proposed U.S. government mandate requiring visa applicants to provide five years of social media history to authorities.
According to a notice published Wednesday by the U.S. Homeland Security Department kicking off a 60-day public comment period, the directive would impact all 42 countries participating in the U.S. visa waiver program, which Israel joined in 2023.
The program is intended to ease travel between the United States and participating countries by foregoing the traditional visa application and approval process and using the automated Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, to gain approval for stays of up to 90 days.
In addition to completing ESTA, the provision of social media histories would be required should the proposed program take shape, though it is unclear by what method applicants would deliver it.
Applicants would also need to provide additional data, including email addresses and telephone numbers used in the last five years, plus the names and addresses of family members.
A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is part of the department, stated on Wednesday that the proposal “is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.”
“The department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, D.C., against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving,” the spokesman said.
The United States is slated to host the FIFA World Cup events next year, which are sure to draw fans from around the world, including from the United Kingdom and other countries from which visitors do not require visas.
NBC News cited a Trump administration official as saying visa applicants holding tickets for next year’s FIFA World Cup would be subject to the restrictions even if their appointments are fast-tracked, as the administration has said it would do.
In a broader crackdown on those seeking to enter the country, the State Department said in June that it would require applicants for certain classifications of visas to make their social media profiles public.
Just last week, the State Department said there would be an expanded “online presence review” for H-1B visa applicants and their dependents.
