Australians planning to visit the United States may soon be required to hand over their complete social media history from the past five years. It's a major shift for international travellers, and a new part of the entry process to the USA.

The proposed rule, which is still in the public consultation phase, aims to enhance border security by requiring travellers from 42 countries – including Australia – to disclose their social media profiles during the ESTA application. While the changes won't take effect until 2026, the new requirements could soon reshape how Australians plan their US trips, adding a layer of scrutiny to their digital footprints.

Here's what you need to know.

When will this come into effect?

The new rules are still in the proposal phase. The public has until mid-February 2026 to voice their thoughts on the changes, so there’s some time to weigh in if you feel strongly about it. If the proposal is approved after the 60-day comment period, the new requirements are expected to go live sometime in 2026.

Which countries will be affected?

The new rules are targeting travellers from 42 countries, including Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Japan, and France. Basically, if you're someone who currently enjoys Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) status (i.e., you don’t need a visa for short trips to the US), you’ll soon be required to disclose your social media activity from the last five years in order to obtain an ESTA.

At the moment, social media disclosure is optional for ESTA applications. But soon, it will be mandatory. This means if you're an Australian heading to the US for your summer holiday, work trip or any type of visit, you will need to add your social profiles into the mix, alongside usual details like your passport number and travel dates.

How will the process work and what will you need to do?

If you're planning to travel to the US and you’re not applying for a visa, here’s what you need to do:

1. Gather your social media info. You’ll need to disclose your social media usernames for the past five years. Yes, that includes all the usual suspects – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more. If you’ve been active on multiple platforms, you’ll need to list them all
2. Add personal details. In addition to your social media profiles, you’ll also need to provide:
   • Phone numbers used in the last five years
   • Email addresses from the past decade
   • Family members’ details (names, relationships, etc.)
   • Biometric data (fingerprints, facial scans, etc.)
3. Submit your ESTA application: Once you've gathered all the required info, you’ll need to submit it via the ESTA form which, if the proposal is approved, will soon be updated with these new mandatory fields. If everything checks out, you’ll get approval to enter the US, just like before.

What are they actually looking for in your social media?

At present, these details are scant. However, speaking on plans to tighten border security, President Trump said, "We just want people to come over here, and safe. We want safety. We want security. We want to make sure we're not letting the wrong people come enter our country."

Will this affect Australians living in the US?

For Australians already living in the US – especially those with green cards or those applying for work or student visas – the new social media disclosure requirements won’t apply in quite the same way as they do for short-term visitors.

If you're living in the US, you've already breen through a more extensive application process when you arrived, which includes providing biometric data, phone numbers, and various personal details. However, if you're planning to renew your visa, apply for a change of status, or if you're applying for a work or student visa, the social media disclosure rule could apply, as it has already been rolled out for other visa categories like student visas and H-1B visas.

For now, Australians living in the US don’t have to worry about providing social media histories unless they’re going through the visa renewal process or applying for a visa to change their immigration status.

Why are these changes happening?

The US government has been tightening its entry policies for a while, with the Trump administration pushing for more stringent security measures. This social media disclosure rule is the governments latest attempt to 'better vet' visitors before they’re allowed into the country. The idea is to prevent any security risks and ensure that people entering the US aren’t a threat to national safety.

However, critics argue that the changes are part of a broader crackdown on free speech and could have unintended consequences for travellers, especially those who might feel hesitant about sharing personal or political opinions online.

Feature image from The Holiday.