WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – The US border guard is planning to tighten entry rules for tourists from Germany and many other countries. According to the plans, in order to receive a travel permit, you will have to reveal more information about your own life in advance than before. A deadline for submitting objections and comments on the proposed changes expires on Monday. The US authorities will then review the submissions and possibly make changes before the whole thing comes into force. An exact time horizon cannot be foreseen.
This affects visitors who enter the USA using the electronic Esta application – the common, visa-free permit for tourists and business travelers from more than 40 countries who participate in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Staying in the USA is therefore permitted for a maximum of 90 days.
Social media and private data proposal unsettling
The border protection agency CBP proposed changes for Esta applicants in December, some of which are particularly causing uncertainty – including in Germany. Anyone who wants to enter the USA on this basis will in future have to disclose information about their presence on social media over the past five years. However, what exactly is meant by this is not clear from the CBP proposal published in the US Federal Register.
CNN reported late last month, citing a Florida hotel and hospitality association, that government officials had privately told them it was about account names. However, you do not have to grant access to social media accounts or specific posts. In addition, the border protection authority would not check the social media activities of all applicants, it is said.
The border protection authority’s proposal also states that applicants will – if possible – have to provide numerous additional personal data in the future. However, it is not defined how exactly enforceability is determined. The suggestions for additional data to be collected include telephone numbers used in the last five years and email addresses used in the last ten years. There is also detailed information about family members, such as their dates of birth, place of residence and place of birth.
Also plans for stricter visa rules
The efforts are part of the stricter migration and security policy of the government of US President Donald Trump. The president accuses the previous government of being too lax with entry and residence rules. The Republican repeatedly criticized the fact that migrants are staying in the USA illegally and without valid papers. The deportation policy was tightened.
Stricter rules are planned not only for tourists, but also for certain visa holders. There has been a plan for a long time to shorten the validity period of visas for students and journalists from abroad. This could possibly lead to holders having to apply for an extension at significantly shorter intervals. A time horizon for possible implementation is also not yet foreseeable./rin/DP/mis