The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is required for citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries to enter the United States without a visa for short stays.
So...as of February 2026, the core ESTA requirements remain unchanged: a valid passport from a VWP country, a valid email address, home address and phone number, emergency contact details, payment method for the application fee, and responses to eligibility questions about criminal history, health, and prior travel.
Germans typically don't complain about the present system.
HOWEVER.....the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has proposed significant updates to the ESTA application process, which may soon become mandatory pending approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. These proposals stem from Executive Order 14161 issued in January 2025 and aim to enhance security vetting.
The potential new items?
Social media information: Handles/names and identifiers from all platforms used in the last 5 years. Note....ALL...so if you were on 8 social media platforms....you have to list them.
Biometric data: A live "selfie" photo (already required for mobile app submissions and proposed for all), plus potential collection of face scans, fingerprints, iris scans, and even DNA.
Contact history: Personal phone numbers and email addresses used in the last 5–10 years; similar details for family members (parents, spouse, siblings, children) and business contacts.
Family details: Names, dates of birth, places of birth, and residencies of immediate family members.
Technical data: IP addresses and metadata from submitted photos.
Application method shift: All new ESTA applications would need to be submitted via the ESTA mobile app only, with the website decommissioned for submissions (though it would remain for status checks and information).
Tomorrow....Sunday....the 8th....the discussion would end. No one says what'll happen on Monday.
One or two of these requirements may occur. Maybe certain nations will get dumped-upon.
The general talk? Germans suggest if all of these occur....everyone (literally) would shut down tourism in the US.
Germans forcing the US into the same gimmick? That's possible. They could go and suggest all family members of military members go the same route.
My belief? As you enter Germany....you probably get finger-printed (digitally) and maybe forced to provide some residence info. Beyond that...I don't think it really helps security-wise.
Crazy BS? Yeah.
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