US warns foreign influencers on tourist visas as World Cup opens across North America
Key Points(5)
- officials say foreign influencers entering the country on tourist visas could face financial penalties and possible deportation if they earn income from content created while visiting, a warning issued as global attention turns to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Customs and Border Protection said the restriction applies to individuals entering the United States on B-2 tourist visas, which prohibit any form of employment or paid activity during a visit.
- Officials stressed that content creation that generates income while physically in the country is considered work and requires the appropriate visa.
- The agency, along with the Department of Homeland Security, said visitors who earn money from U.S.-based activity while on a tourist visa may be in violation of the terms of their admission.
- Authorities added that enforcement decisions would be made case by case.
U.S. officials say foreign influencers entering the country on tourist visas could face financial penalties and possible deportation if they earn income from content created while visiting, a warning issued as global attention turns to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the restriction applies to individuals entering the United States on B-2 tourist visas, which prohibit any form of employment or paid activity during a visit. Officials stressed that content creation that generates income while physically in the country is considered work and requires the appropriate visa.
The agency, along with the Department of Homeland Security, said visitors who earn money from U.S.-based activity while on a tourist visa may be in violation of the terms of their admission. Authorities added that enforcement decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.
The warning comes as the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on June 11, 2026, with matches spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams and a record number of matches, drawing an expected surge in international travel, tourism, and digital content creation.
Officials said they anticipate thousands of visitors arriving for the month-long event, including influencers and social media creators producing real-time travel and lifestyle content. The influx, they noted, raises the likelihood of cases involving monetized content filmed while on tourist visas.
CBP officials also said some visitors may be able to contest penalties if they can demonstrate their accounts were established outside the United States and that revenue is tied to content produced outside the country.
U.S. authorities have not yet clarified how broadly the guidance will be enforced or when any expanded scrutiny of influencer activity might formally begin.
