The U.S. government will soon require travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries to submit up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register on Wednesday.
This new requirement requires travelers to complete their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application, including social media details from the past five years. ESTA is used to determine eligibility for visa-free travel to the United States for up to 90 days.
The proposal also asks applicants to provide additional data when possible, including phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, family names, and biometric information such as fingerprints and facial recognition.
The rule would affect travelers from numerous countries in the Visa Waiver Program, including most European nations, as well as Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and others. The proposal is open for public comments for 60 days.
This move is part of broader efforts by the United States to tighten immigration controls. The U.S. State Department reported this week that 85,000 visas have been revoked since January, more than double the number revoked in the previous year.
US to require social media history for visa-waiver travelers
US to require social media history for visa-waiver travelers
China has requested, via the Dutch embassy in China, that the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs should implement the consensus reached with China through consultations and urge semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia in the Netherlands to send representatives to China as soon as possible, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.
China has been actively urging the Chinese company Wingtech to engage in negotiations with its overseas subsidiary Nexperia to resolve the internal corporate disputes, ministry spokesperson He Yadong said at a regular press briefing.
Recently, Wingtech sent a letter to the independent directors and the equity custodian of Nexperia, inviting them to China for discussions on corporate control and restoring the stability and smooth operation of the supply chain, which demonstrates its sincerity in resolving the issue, the spokesperson said.
"I want to stress that the Nexperia issue was triggered by the Dutch government's inappropriate administrative intervention in corporate operations and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs bears the responsibility to take constructive and substantive measures to revoke the executive order, urge the former executive of Nexperia to withdraw his lawsuit from the corporate court and create favorable conditions for internal corporate negotiations. The Chinese side has already taken concrete measures by granting exemptions for compliant exports intended for civilian use, demonstrating a responsible attitude toward safeguarding the security and stability of the global semiconductor supply chain. China hopes the Dutch side takes real actions to promote the resolution of the Nexperia issue," said He.
China urges Nexperia to send representatives to China
