(UNITED STATES) The cost of visiting the United States under the Visa Waiver Program jumped sharply when the ESTA fee almost doubled to $40 on September 30, 2025. The change affects tens of millions of short‑term visitors each year and applies to travelers from all participating countries who must obtain online authorization before boarding a plane or ship to the United States.
What is ESTA and who needs it
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is the online screening most visitors from Visa Waiver Program countries must complete for business or tourism trips of 90 days or less.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which runs the system through the official ESTA portal, processes an estimated 40 million authorizations every year.
New fee structure
Until September 30, 2025, the ESTA fee had been $21 (a rate in place since May 2022). Under the new fee structure, the cost is now $40, broken down as:
| Component | Previous amount | New amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $4 | $10 |
| Authorization charge | $17 | $30 |
| Total | $21 | $40 |
- The jump nearly doubles the cost of permission to travel without a visa.
- For a family of four, the cost rose from $84 to $160 — an extra $76 before flights or hotels are booked.
Why the fee increased
The U.S. government says the increase stems from new legislation. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR‑1), which President Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, mandated higher travel authorization fees as part of a broader package.
Starting in fiscal year 2026, HR‑1 requires that fees for:
– ESTA
– The arrival record Form I‑94
– The Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS)
be adjusted each year based on the Consumer Price Index. That means the ESTA fee is likely to change regularly rather than remain fixed for long periods.
Important deadlines and transitional rules
- Applicants who submitted and paid for an ESTA request before September 30, 2025 kept the $21 rate for that authorization.
- Any unpaid applications in the system when the change took effect were automatically switched to the new $40 charge and now require the higher payment to be processed.
Validity and repeat travel
- An approved ESTA authorization remains valid for two years, or until the traveler’s passport expires — whichever comes first.
- During validity, travelers may make multiple short trips to the U.S. without paying the ESTA fee again, provided they still meet all program rules and do not change passports.
Key takeaway: Paying the ESTA fee grants permission to board a carrier and request admission at a U.S. port of entry, but it does not guarantee entry.
Official resources and where to apply
- Apply only through the official ESTA portal.
- The Form
I‑94arrival and departure record (used mainly at land borders and for some non‑immigrant visitors) is available at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection I‑94 information page. - Details about EVUS, which currently covers certain Chinese passport holders, are posted on the official EVUS site.
Practical effects and industry response
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests higher costs may push budget‑conscious tourists to shorten trips or reconsider plans, especially alongside airline prices and other travel taxes.
- Tour operators serving Visa Waiver travelers report receiving questions from customers surprised by the new ESTA fee.
- Airlines and travel agents are expected to update booking confirmations and other materials to remind passengers from Visa Waiver Program countries that an approved ESTA is required before boarding.
Warnings about third‑party sites
- Officials caution that third‑party websites cannot provide faster approval even if they charge extra.
- Some sites mimic official branding and add service charges, meaning users may pay far more than $40.
- Using the official portal is the safest way to ensure payment goes directly to the U.S. government program.
Planning advice for travelers
- Check existing authorizations and passport expiry dates well in advance of travel.
- If an earlier ESTA is still valid and matches the current passport, no new application or payment is needed.
- First‑time applicants, or those who must reapply after a passport change, should expect the $40 charge and possible future increases tied to inflation indexing under HR‑1.
- Frequent visitors will spread the $40 cost across multiple journeys; single‑trip tourists will bear it for one holiday.
For now, the higher ESTA fee is firmly in place.
On September 30, 2025, the ESTA fee rose from $21 to $40—$10 application and $30 authorization—after HR‑1 became law. The change affects travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries who need online approval for trips up to 90 days; roughly 40 million authorizations are processed yearly. Applicants who paid before the cutoff kept $21, while unpaid requests required the new payment. HR‑1 also mandates annual CPI-based adjustments for ESTA, I‑94 and EVUS fees.
