Key Points

In recent months, President Donald Trump has introduced multiple measures to restrict foreign travelers entering the US. Certain visa applicants will now be required to submit their social media records from the past five years. Foreign visitors will also need to upload a "selfie" as part of the enhanced screening process.

As President Donald Trump continues to tighten travel restrictions for foreign visitors, the US plans to implement social media screening for certain travelers.

According to an announcement by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday, visitors from countries including the UK, Australia, France, and Japan will be mandated to provide their social media history from the past five years when applying for entry. The proposal is open for a 60-day public comment period and has not yet been finalized, with possible revisions expected.

Citizens of countries under the US Visa Waiver Program can apply for stays of 90 days or less through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which costs $40. Social media verification has now become a "mandatory data field" in the ESTA application.

Border enforcement authorities also stated they will collect "multiple high-value data fields," including applicants' email addresses from the past 10 years, phone numbers used in the past five years, and names and details of family members.

In addition to social media checks, applicants must upload a "selfie." CBP explained that this measure aims to streamline the screening process and more accurately verify whether the applicant is the legitimate holder of the ESTA authorization document.

This plan marks an escalation of Trump's recent series of measures restricting foreign travelers. The move follows an incident where an Afghan man was charged with shooting two National Guard members near the White House, prompting Trump to tighten policies further.

The President previously stated he would strengthen immigration policies, including a "permanent" suspension of immigration from all "third-world countries," while criticizing former President Joe Biden for approving "millions of immigrants" during his term.

Recently, the Trump administration announced an expansion of the travel ban to over 30 countries. Initially introduced in June, the ban previously restricted entry for citizens of 12 countries and imposed limitations on seven others. The newly added countries include Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, and Haiti.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem commented, "If these countries lack stable governments, cannot sustain themselves, and fail to provide us with identity verification or assist in screening, why should we allow their citizens into the US?"

As of now, CBP has not responded to CNBC's request for comment.

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