New US rule: Social media checks for visa-exempt visitors

• US proposes mandatory social media screening for foreigners traveling without a visa.
• The Department of Homeland Security announced changes requiring visa-waiver travelers to submit 5 years of social media history, email accounts, and extensive family details.
• The new rule affects citizens from approximately 40 mostly European and Asian countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program.
• Travelers will also need to provide phone numbers used over 5 years, email addresses from the past decade, and metadata from electronic images.
• The measure aims to enhance national security screening, following a January executive order by President Trump.

Why It Matters: Your US visa-free travel could now require social media screening.