New ESTA social media rule sparks unease among Korean travelers

Applicants wait in line for visa screening procedures at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Sept. 22. Newsis

A woman planning to visit her aunt in the United States with her husband and son next year says she is watching the latest U.S. travel screening proposal about tougher social media scrutiny with growing unease.

The 41-year-old said on condition of anonymity that the U.S. government's new plan will not affect her travel plans. But if it weren't for her aunt, she said, she would already be looking elsewhere for her next holiday.

“I do not think anything would happen to my family during the immigration process, but if it does, it’s a big deal,” she told The Korea Times Thursday. “That thought really scares me.”

Under a proposal filed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), visitors from Korea and more than 40 other nations could be required to disclose their social media activity from the past five years as a condition of entry to the U.S. This change would affect foreign visitors using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which allows short stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business under a visa waiver program.

The proposed rule would make social media disclosure mandatory for ESTA applicants. CBP says the new changes were required to comply with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on the first day of his new term. It also proposes collecting phone numbers used in the last five years and email addresses used over the past 10 years, along with more detailed information about close family members.

In addition, CBP suggested gathering IP addresses and metadata from photos submitted electronically. A public notice in the Federal Register opens a 60‑day comment period, during which the agency can revise the proposal before seeking final approval.

This move follows similar actions by the U.S. administration to conduct social media reviews for some visa applicants, including seekers of H-1B visas for professionals in “specialty occupations,” as well as applicants for student visas.

Frequent travelers to America say their deeper concern is the broader message behind the changes. They see the social media proposal alongside other steps, such as a recent ESTA fee increase and a forthcoming surcharge for non-American visitors to national parks, as signals that noncitizens are being reminded they are “just visitors.” Taken together, they say, these measures make it feel as if foreign travelers are not being welcomed the same way they once were.

“In recent months, the immigration process has apparently been stricter … I don’t worry too much for myself, but for travelers, it doesn’t feel like the ideal moment to plan a trip to the U.S. now,” an official working for an international organization said on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. plan raises concerns for tourism ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico next year.

Travel agents in Korea have expressed caution about the change.

“I expect the impact on demand for U.S. travel to be limited at this point, but if people really start getting turned away over their social media posts, it could make potential travelers think twice about going there,” said an official at Modetour, a major travel company.