US ESTA to cost more

Travel costs are rising as governments increase fees for electronic entry permits. From late September, the US will nearly double its ESTA charge, adding to a growing list of border costs that impact both business and leisure travellers.

US authorities have confirmed an increased fee of $40 for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

The Trump administration’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency will nearly double the fee from its current $21 from 30 September.

Visitors from visa waiver countries, such as the UK and most EU members, must apply for an ESTA for entry to the US. The authorisation is valid for two years unless the traveller’s passport expires within this time.

US authorities last raised the fee for an ESTA application from $14 to $21 in May 2022.

The price of an ESTA nearly doubling under the Trump administration is a blow to British travellers and a further cost to doing business in the US.

The rise in the price of an ESTA comes after the UK increased the charge for its own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from £10 to £16 in April.

Meanwhile, the EU has raised the planned application fee for its forthcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) from €7 to €20 - even though it is not due to be introduced until late 2026.

ETIAS will be preceded by the phased launch of the EU’s new biometric Entry-Exit System (EES), which is due to be introduced on 12 October.

The launch of EES will require non-EU travellers to provide a digital facial image and fingerprints at the border.

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