Bad news, guys – while most of us know by now that it’s essential to sort an ESTA before you travel to the US, the fee you’ll have to pay to acquire yours is about to get a whole lot more expensive.
Why? Well, it’s due to changes in immigration budget legislation, which have been passed under the Trump administration, meaning the price of an ESTA will jump 86 percent from $21 to $40 (that’s around €34 or £29).
To be specific, Globetrender reports that the restructuring of fees now includes a $17 travel promotion fee (the same as before) plus a $6 increase in the processing charge and a new $13 levy to the US Treasury.
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So, what does this mean for your future trips to the US? Well, if you already have an ESTA, that’ll still be valid for the two years since you acquired it, or until your passport expires (whichever comes first).
However, if you still need to apply for an ESTA ahead of an upcoming trip, complete your application before Monday September 30 to avoid the new higher fee. After that, even if you started but did not finish your application, you’ll be asked to pay the full 40 bucks.
What is an ESTA?
It stands for the ‘electronic system for travel authorisation’, and is something all travellers from countries which participate in the US’s visa-waiver programme must have if they’re entering the country for 90 days or less.
The programme includes most of Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as Chile, Israel and Qatar.
You can read more about the programme on the official website, or check your eligibility and submit your application on this page.
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