US border proposes rules that could mandate selfies, social media
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has proposed new rules that could require selfies and social media history from foreign travelers traveling to the United States.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proposing expanded biometric screening of incoming international travelers.
- The proposals include mandatory selfie uploads and a mobile-only application for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
- Applicants may be asked to provide social media accounts, phone numbers, and other personal data from past years.
Travelers entering the United States may soon face expanded biometric screening and new digital reporting requirements, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aims to overhaul the way it verifies the identities and movements of millions of visitors.
In a new proposal published in the Federal Register, the Department of Homeland Security is asking the public to consider a series of major changes to the Entry and Exit Record (Form I-94) process and the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the program that citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries use to enter the United States.
The proposal, which affects nearly all international travelers entering the country, comes as border checks on personal devices have received increased attention and concern from travelers.
CBP did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Can Border Patrol agents look into your cell phone or other devices?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers can inspect your cell phone, including any deleted items on the device.
What CBP wants to change
CBP is proposing several updates, including new biometric requirements, enhanced data collection, and the retirement of the ESTA website in favor of a mobile-only system.
Some of the proposed changes include:
- New voluntary “self-reported exit” feature This will allow foreign nationals to verify their departure from the United States by submitting passport data, live selfies, and geolocation information through CBP’s mobile app.
- All ESTA applicants must upload a selfie photoThis also includes applications made through a third party, such as a travel agency.
- Mobile-only ESTA applicationCBP retired the web-based option after documenting widespread abuse related to low-quality image uploads and fraudulent third-party websites that charged travelers unnecessary fees.
- Expanded “high-value data fields”,” This includes the applicant’s social media accounts from the past five years, phone numbers and email addresses dating back 10 years, IP addresses, and even biometrics such as fingerprints, facial, DNA, and iris scans (if available). These additions follow a January executive order targeting foreign terrorist threats.
- Latest information on the Visa Waiver Programincluding the recent removal of Romania and the expectation that additional countries may be added in the coming years.
CBP says these changes are aimed at reducing fraud, improving identity verification, and closing long-standing gaps in tracking foreign visitors entering and leaving the United States.
What this means for travelers
The proposal underscores what many immigration lawyers and border experts have already warned: entry into the United States will increasingly require scrutiny of identity, digital presence, and travel history.
Earlier this year, USA TODAY reported on a series of incidents in which U.S. residents and visa holders were detained or deported after CBP officers inspected the contents of their cell phones under enhanced security measures. Searches of photos, videos, deleted files, public social media posts, etc. are legal at the border without a warrant.
“Travelers entering the United States will be subject to CBP screening,” CBP Deputy Director Hilton Beckham said in May. He said searches were “rare” and “highly regulated” but had been used to identify “terrorism, smuggling, human trafficking and visa fraud”.
Immigration attorney Suzanne Huebel told USA TODAY that most travelers still enter the U.S. without incident, but device searches and digital screening are playing an increasingly important role when officers suspect someone’s behavior is inconsistent with a visa.
She said the proposal to tighten social media vetting was concerning, adding that increased scrutiny of someone’s public activities online, including political posts, could be used as a pretext to deny a visa.
“This shouldn’t be a problem for those who are careful about social media, but an increase in rescheduling and simple vetting by U.S. consulates is already causing delays in visa applications due to longer vetting times,” she said.
USA TODAY has reached out to DHS for comment.
Social media under new scrutiny
One of the most notable proposed requirements is that ESTA applicants would have to disclose all social media accounts used in the past five years.
This follows a 2025 executive order mandating widespread testing for potential national security threats.
“They’re checking to see if the story you tell – who you are and why you travel – matches your digital footprint,” Heubel previously said.
In March, Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese doctor and Brown University faculty member, was detained and deported at Boston Logan International Airport after CBP found photos and videos related to Hezbollah on her cell phone.
Does this change affect U.S. citizens?
no. The new proposal primarily applies to foreign nationals covered by I-94 documents, visitors from Visa Waiver Program member countries who apply through ESTA, and travelers who self-declare their departure using CBP’s mobile app.
U.S. citizens are not required to provide biometrics beyond standard passport requirements.
How travelers can prepare
Immigration lawyers advise:
- Check the contents of your mobile phone before you travel. Even files that have been deleted may still be accessible.
- Limit the number of devices you bring. Cell phones are unavoidable, but laptops and external drives can trigger additional scrutiny.
- If you have a visa or green card, know exactly what activities are allowed with that status.
- If a police officer searches your device, Heubel advises stating clearly, “I don’t consent, but I understand that you have the right to search.”
How to comment on CBP proposals
The public has until February 9 to submit comments on the proposed changes.
Comments should reference OMB control number 1651-0111 and be sent to CBP_PRA@cbp.dhs.gov.
CBP says all comments will be publicly recorded as part of the rulemaking process.
This story has been updated to add new information.
