(SWITZERLAND) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) imposed new disclosure and biometric rules on visa-free visitors in late January and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began canceling some previously approved travel authorizations on February 1, 2026, measures that travel advisers say are already disrupting trips for Swiss and other European travelers.
CBP’s move targeted Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approvals that relied on “scanned” or “static” passport photos rather than “live” photos, forcing some travelers to reapply through a mobile app before they can fly.
CBP cancellations and the new “Live Photo” standard
“Effective February 1, 2026, CBP has begun canceling ESTA authorizations for individuals who do not meet the new ‘Live Photo’ verification standard. Travelers must reapply through the mobile-app platform to confirm their identity in real-time,” CBP said.
Thousands of travelers reported being denied boarding on February 1, 2026 after airlines found their ESTAs were no longer valid under the new photo verification standard, the information provided said.
DHS rule: social media disclosure and biometrics
DHS implemented a mandatory requirement on January 24, 2026 for all travelers under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to provide a five-year social media history and undergo biometric screening, a step the agency framed as part of a broader tightening of screening for visa-free travel.
“These new regulations are essential to modernizing our border security architecture. By requiring social media disclosure and live-capture biometric data, we are ensuring that those granted the privilege of visa-free travel do not pose a threat to national security,” a DHS spokesperson said.
How these changes affect travelers at the airport
For travelers, the changes can show up first at the airport. Airlines commonly check whether a passenger has the required authorization to board, and the information said ESTA cancellations can translate into denied boarding if a traveler arrives with an approval that no longer meets CBP’s “Live Photo” verification standard.
The updated U.S. approach also increases the amount of information travelers must provide before departure. In addition to traditional biographic and passport details, the new VWP requirement adds five years of social media history and biometric screening, which can add time and complexity for travelers who previously expected a short online step.
US policy and related developments
The VWP allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States without a visa for short trips, but it still requires travelers to secure ESTA authorization and comply with updated screening and verification rules.
The information emphasized that ESTA compliance matters at boarding and again at CBP inspection, where travelers can face additional screening.
Separate from visitor and ESTA policy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and DHS jointly announced on January 30, 2026 the addition of 64,716 H-2B nonimmigrant visas for FY 2026 to help U.S. businesses, highlighting that the U.S. simultaneously tightened visitor standards and expanded a labor channel.
The H-2B announcement applies to a different population than visa-free tourists and business visitors. It involves a nonimmigrant visa workflow rather than the VWP’s ESTA authorization path, and it does not change what travelers must do to board a flight on an ESTA.
Canada’s changes to visitor visa scrutiny
Canada moved at the same time to tighten visitor visa scrutiny for Europeans, including Swiss applicants, the information said. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced more rigorous vetting for European visitor visa applications to combat a surge in applications and address security concerns.
Applicants from Switzerland and Poland now face “more stringent scrutiny and additional documentation requirements,” the information said, with an emphasis on financial stability and detailed travel history. The practical effect, as described, is a higher evidentiary burden for people who previously expected a routine process.
Travel advisers said that kind of “heightened vetting” can mean more emphasis on proving funds, documenting employment ties, keeping an itinerary consistent with the stated purpose of travel, and showing prior compliance with immigration rules during past trips. The information also flagged complex travel history as a factor that can draw added scrutiny.
Canada also adjusted the potential length of visitor stays. On January 5, 2026, Canada modified its visitor policy to allow stays of up to one year, increased from six months, for those who can pass heightened vetting, in an effort to reduce the volume of extension requests, the information said.
That longer authorized stay can change how applicants prepare their files. A one-year trip can require more thorough planning to show continued ties outside Canada, and it can affect how travelers think about travel insurance for a longer period, without changing the underlying requirement to satisfy IRCC’s screening.
Europe and UK: digital screening and new authorizations
Europe and the UK are also moving toward digital border screening, with new steps that resemble the U.S. and Canadian emphasis on pre-travel authorization and biometrics, the information said. These systems do not necessarily operate as traditional visas, but they can still become a prerequisite for boarding or entry.
As of January 2026, all European travelers, including Swiss and Polish citizens, must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK, the information said. It includes a fee and strict overstay penalties, and it adds another pre-travel step for people who previously traveled with fewer formalities.
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to be fully operational by April 10, 2026, replacing manual passport stamping with biometric registration for all non-EU nationals, the information said. That means first-time entry under the system can involve biometric enrollment, and repeat travelers can face a different border process than they were used to.
The information also flagged another coming European authorization. Travelers must now budget for ETIAS, expected late 2026, alongside UK ETA fees and potentially higher insurance costs for newly permitted one-year Canadian stays, it said, without giving amounts.
Presidential proclamation and nationality-based restrictions
In the United States, the information pointed to Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026. The proclamation suspended or limited entry for nationals of 39 countries and introduced stricter vetting for others to “Protect the Security of the United States.”
The information drew a distinction between proclamation-based entry restrictions and technical compliance requirements under systems like ESTA. A proclamation can change who faces limits or heightened vetting based on nationality and other criteria, while ESTA changes can affect whether a traveler who is otherwise eligible for visa-free travel can use an existing authorization.
Privacy, data collection, and verification challenges
Under the new ESTA flow described, travelers must provide a “live photo” via a mobile app and five years of social media handles, and a previously approved ESTA may no longer be usable if it depended on a photo method CBP no longer accepts. That can turn a routine check-in into a last-minute reapplication.
The information described privacy impacts for travelers as data collection expands. With the U.S. now requiring social media history for VWP travelers and “live-capture biometric data,” travelers may need to ensure they can accurately provide the requested account details and complete identity checks that rely on a real-time photo.
Operational impacts for airlines and transit planning
Those changes can ripple into transit planning. If an authorization is missing, expired, or invalid, an airline may deny boarding before a traveler ever reaches the border, and added steps at first entry can affect connections in airports where border checks take place before onward flights.
The information also flagged that airlines sit at the center of enforcement in practice. Travelers who show up with an authorization that fails a new verification step can face denied boarding, while travelers who comply may still see longer check-in or pre-departure checks when carriers validate authorizations before letting passengers fly.
Risk categories for individual travelers
- First risk: disruption at the airport. The information linked denied boarding to sudden ESTA cancellations tied to the shift from “scanned” or “static” photos to “live” photos, and it described “seismic shifts” in international travel for Europeans who previously experienced smoother entry.
- Second risk: slower processing and more requests for evidence. Visitor visa wait times for Canada have increased significantly as IRCC processes new documentation requirements, the information said, and applicants may need to plan for longer timelines when vetting expands.
- Third risk: cost. The information did not provide figures but noted potential fees for authorizations such as UK ETA, possible future ETIAS costs, administrative burdens to satisfy IRCC’s tighter standards, and insurance adjustments for longer Canadian stays.
Practical preparation steps
Practical preparation steps vary by destination and system. For U.S. travel under the VWP, the information said travelers need to ensure their ESTA meets the “Live Photo” verification standard and be ready to provide five years of social media history and complete biometric screening requirements.
For Canada, applicants seeking a visitor visa may need to build a stronger documentary record around financial stability and travel history and ensure their planned trip aligns with what IRCC expects to see in a visitor application, particularly for longer stays of up to one year.
For the UK, travelers need to secure an ETA before departure under the system described, while for the EU’s EES, non-EU nationals should anticipate biometric registration replacing manual stamping once it becomes fully operational on April 10, 2026.
Broader trends behind the shifts
Behind the policy shifts, the information described a broader move toward digitized and biometric-heavy borders. Governments are shifting from “trusted traveler” models to “verified traveler” models, and the systems increasingly depend on advance screening, identity proofing, and cross-border data checks.
Canada and the United States cited “growing visa applications and security concerns” as primary drivers, the information said. Those drivers can translate into tighter thresholds and more frequent enforcement actions that affect travelers who are used to visa-free or lightly screened entry.
In Europe, Switzerland and the EU adopted lower thresholds for suspending visa-free travel as of January 17, 2026, the information said. A visa exemption can now be suspended if irregular arrivals jump by 30%, down from 50%, adding another lever that can change travel access when migration pressure rises.
Official sources and guidance
Official information remains the main reference point as countries adjust systems and enforcement. USCIS posts updates and announcements, including those related to H-2B, at the USCIS Newsroom, while the U.S. Department of State publishes country guidance at U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories.
Canada’s visitor visa requirements and updates sit on IRCC’s site at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The United States also publishes information for travelers in Switzerland through the U.S. Embassy in Switzerland, a starting point for consular guidance as U.S. screening rules tighten for visa-free travel.
