Some travellers from Canada to the US could soon have to share 5 years of social media history

If you're planning any U.S. travel from Canada soon, you might want to think twice about what you've been posting online.

The Trump administration just announced a proposal that could make Canada-U.S. travel a lot more invasive — especially for citizens of a long list of countries.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a notice on Wednesday outlining major changes to how it screens travellers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries — including many Canadian permanent residents.

If it moves forward, the updated rules would require people applying for travel authorization to the U.S. to share detailed personal info, including five years' worth of social media activity.

And that's just the start.

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What exactly is changing?

According to the notice, CBP plans to overhaul the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) process, which is how travellers from VWP countries — like the U.K., France, Australia, South Korea, Germany, Taiwan and more — are currently allowed to enter the U.S. without a visa for short visits.

Canadian citizens don't use ESTA, but Canadian permanent residents who hold a passport from a VWP country usually do — and this rule could affect them directly.

Here's what CBP is proposing:

• Social media accounts from the last five years would become mandatory on all ESTA applications.
• Travellers would also have to provide old email addresses, phone numbers and even family members' contact details going back up to 10 years.
• Facial recognition would be required through the ESTA mobile app, which is set to become the only way to apply.
• Biometrics including fingerprints, iris scans and even DNA could also be collected, though it's unclear when or how that would be enforced.
• The existing ESTA website is being phased out to prevent fraud and force all applicants through the mobile-only system.

Is the rule already in effect?

Not yet — but it's moving quickly.

This is a proposed rule, not a finalized one. It was published on December 10, and the U.S. government is giving the public 60 days (until February 9, 2026) to submit comments.

After that, CBP will review the feedback and decide whether to finalize or revise the changes.

Still, the Notice explains that many of these measures were already approved under an "emergency clearance" — so there's a strong chance they'll go ahead in some form.

CBP says these updates are part of its effort to meet the requirements of Executive Order 14161, signed by President Donald Trump when he returned to office in January.

The order calls for more aggressive screening of visitors to "protect [U.S.] citizens from aliens" who are deemed national security threats.

Who does this impact?

The changes will mostly affect non-citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries, which includes over 40 nations — like the U.K., France, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Italy, Israel, Portugal, Chile and more.

If you're a Canadian permanent resident who holds a passport from a VWP-designated country, you're already required to apply for an ESTA before visiting the U.S., even just for a weekend trip.

Under the new rules, that simple application could soon involve submitting a live selfie, your last five years of social media activity, and any email addresses you've used in the last 10 years.

It would also require detailed personal data for family members like your spouse, parents, siblings and children — including all their phone numbers from the last five years, dates and places of birth, and current addresses.

If you're a Canadian citizen, you don't usually need a visa or ESTA for short trips to the U.S. for tourism, shopping or business, so these changes likely won't apply — at least for now.

However, if you're travelling for work, school or to join a family member, you may still need a visa. And with all the recent changes coming out of the Trump administration — like a new $350 "visa integrity fee" introduced in October — that process is becoming more complicated by the week.

Why is the US doing this?

According to CBP, this is all about improving national security and stopping fraud. The agency claims that applicants have been uploading poor-quality photos on the ESTA website to bypass facial recognition — and that scammers are using fake passport data to get travel approvals.

By making the ESTA app mandatory and collecting more personal data, CBP claims it'll be better equipped to verify identities and catch bad actors.

But the requirement to submit years of personal data — including five years of social media history — could raise concerns for privacy-minded travellers.

Here's what travellers need to know:

• Canadian citizens visiting for vacation or shopping are mostly in the clear.
• Canadian permanent residents from VWP countries may soon need to share social media history, facial data and more.
• Applications for U.S. travel authorization will have to go through the mobile app only — no more using the website.
• You'll need to dig up old phone numbers, emails and even family contact info.
• These changes aren't final yet, but they could be instated as soon as March 2026.

If you're planning to travel to the U.S. soon, it's a good idea to check your ESTA status, confirm whether you qualify under the Visa Waiver Program, and stay up to date with the latest requirements.

This new proposal is just one of several changes the Trump administration has been rolling out in recent months. In October, a new $350 "integrity fee"50 "integrity fee" kicked in for certain travellers applying for U.S. visas, which already hit some Canadian permanent residents with extra costs.

And starting December 26, the U.S. government will have the authority to photograph all non-citizens — including Canadians — every time they enter or exit the country, with those images stored for up to 75 years.

The border's getting tougher — and it's more important than ever to know what you're walking into before you go.

Would you still travel to the US if these new rules applied to you?

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