The United States government has warned foreign content creators and social media influencers that they risk deportation if they generate income from content creation while in the country on a tourist visa, a caution issued on the eve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In an email statement to Spanish news agency EFE on Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security said that foreign nationals entering the country under a tourist programme and receiving income from a US source would be violating the conditions of their admission status.
“Having the sole purpose of the visit be content creation (as an influencer), thereby generating income from U.S. sources while in the country, is considered work and requires the appropriate visa,” they said.
The agency clarified that the standard B-2 tourist visa which permits entry for leisure, vacations, family visits, or medical treatment does not authorise paid work or the receipt of income from activities carried out on US soil.
Holders are also barred from staying beyond the period granted at entry. Violating any of these conditions can result in immediate visa cancellation, deportation and restrictions on future travel to the country.
The warning applies to creators who monetise content on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
CBP added that working for a media outlet while in the country on a tourist visa is equally prohibited under the same rules.
Immigration lawyer Alex Galvez, speaking to EFE, said foreign nationals who breach the conditions of their US entry risk losing their tourist visa entirely.
He noted, however, that influencers could mount a legal challenge if their social media accounts were registered in their home countries and payments were received outside the United States.
The warning comes as the World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada and running from June 11 to July 19 is expected to attract a large number of independent content creators seeking to document the tournament for their audiences.
The immigration debate surrounding the event has widened beyond influencers.
The International Sports Press Association last week expressed concern over what it described as unjust visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on some of its members, who it said were being denied entry into the country.
The US also denied entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan ahead of the tournament.
The enforcement climate has precedent. In June 2025, Senegalese-Italian TikToker Khaby Lame one of the platform’s most followed creators with 162 million followers was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Las Vegas airport and self-deported after allegedly overstaying his visa.
ICE has confirmed it will play a security role at World Cup venues, in line with the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement posture.
AFP
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