In previous issues, we’ve talked about the growing friction involved in visiting the United States. Higher fees. More paperwork. Longer waits. Stories about interrogations at entry points and even being refused entry. Now there’s a new one on the table. Hand over your social media.
A recent proposal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) would require travelers from visa waiver countries like the U.K., France, Germany, and South Korea to submit up to five years of social media history as part of their travel authorization. Not optional. The proposal would also expand the personal data required, including email addresses going back a decade and detailed family information. This proposal is now accepting pubic comment. Read the bill and learn how to comment here.
Here’s what international visitors are already facing, or soon may be:
In effect now:
• ESTA fee increased to $40, up from $21
• Land entry fee increased to $30, up from $6
Approved, rolling out soon:
• $100 surcharge for non-U.S. residents entering 11 major national parks
Passed but not yet implemented:
• $250 visa “integrity fee” for many non-visa-waiver travelers
Proposed:
• Mandatory disclosure of social media history for visa waiver travelers, as well as detailed biographical data (email addresses, family members, etc.)
U.S. Travel Association now projects a 6.3 percent decline in international visitation for 2025, the first drop since the pandemic. National Travel and Tourism Office data shows overseas arrivals have now fallen year over year for seven straight months, with November visitation still running at roughly 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Western Europe travel is down sharply, and Canada, historically the most reliable inbound market, continues to slide.
Visiting the U.S. is becoming more expensive, more complicated, and more intrusive, at a time when destinations around the world are competing aggressively for international travelers.
Which raises a simple question. If you were planning a vacation and another country asked for higher fees, more paperwork, and years of your online history, would you still want to go?
