Thread: ESTAs Fee

As I understand it visitors to the USA need to have an ESTA and that from the 9th. September there will be a charge for this of $14 or £9.

If you register before that date you will get it free and only when that runs out two years later will there be a charge.

Mine runs out in November but I cannot renew it yet, the site just won't allow it. It has been suggested that if I make a completely new application that will be accepted but I am wondering what the ramifications of this might be and will it cause problems when I arrive in the USA or even before.

Has anyone any knowledge or experience of this?
X Lucy

Does this answer your question? There is an FAQ listed in this document. Perhaps it will have more detail for you.


Travel Documents and Border Security






DHS, CPB Announce Interim Final Rule For ESTA Fee
News Release, August 6, 2010 (pdf) - Frequently asked questions FAQ (pdf)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on August 6 an interim final rule that amends DHS regulations to require travelers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries to pay operational and travel promotion fees when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) beginning September 8, 2010. A fee of $4.00 will recover the costs incurred by CBP of providing and administering the ESTA system and is in addition to the mandatory $10 travel promotion fee established by the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, enacted as Section 9 of Public Law 111-145, the United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2009. The total fee for a new or renewed ESTA will be $14.00.

All payments for electronic travel authorization applications must be made by credit card or debit card when applying for or renewing an ESTA at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The ESTA system currently accepts only the following credit/debit cards: MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover. Your application will not be submitted for processing until all payment information is received.

DHS published a notice of the interim final rule in the Federal Register today and will accept comments through October 8. Collection of the fees will begin for ESTA applications filed on or after September 8.

ESTA is an electronic travel authorization that all nationals of VWP countries must obtain prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the United States under the VWP. This travel authorization has been mandatory since Jan. 12, 2009.

ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. Once approved, authorizations are generally valid for multiple entries into the U.S. for up to two years or until the applicant’s passport expires or other specific circumstances give rise to a need to reapply, whichever comes first. Under the new interim final rule, travelers with an approved ESTA will not need to pay the ESTA fees when updating an ESTA application. However, travelers with new passports and re-applying for an ESTA will need to pay the ESTA fees.

Citizens interested in commenting on this rulemaking—identified by docket number USCBP-2010-0025—may submit written comments by visiting the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov and following the instructions for submitting comments or by mail at: Border Security Regulations Branch, Office of International Trade, Customs and Border Protection, (Mint Annex), Washington, D.C. 20229.

The VWP is administered by DHS and enables eligible nationals of 36 designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Additional information regarding the VWP is available at http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/business_pleasure/vwp/vwp.xml. For more information about ESTA, please visit http://www.cbp.gov/ESTA.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

DHS, CPB Announce Interim Final Rule For ESTA Fee (2010-08-06) - U.S. Mission

The part of this that I am concerned with is that other contries may start doing the same thing.
I can imagine that on a cruise we could end up with several of these fees if the cruise is visiting several different countries.

I need to make sure I get mine before September ready for March 2011. You are right John it could get very expensive if there was a fee for every country visited

Originally Posted by Char

Does this answer your question? There is an FAQ listed in this document. Perhaps it will have more detail for you.


Travel Documents and Border Security






DHS, CPB Announce Interim Final Rule For ESTA Fee
News Release, August 6, 2010 (pdf) - Frequently asked questions FAQ (pdf)



ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. Once approved, authorizations are generally valid for multiple entries into the U.S. for up to two years or until the applicant’s passport expires or other specific circumstances give rise to a need to reapply, whichever comes first. Under the new interim final rule, travelers with an approved ESTA will not need to pay the ESTA fees when updating an ESTA application. However, travelers with new passports and re-applying for an ESTA will need to pay the ESTA fees.

Thank you Char, that is even better news than I could hope for. I really appreaciate the quick response and the quality of it. Regards. X Lucy

We try!

I had my passport stolen last year, actually it was in the hand luggage, and waiting to cross the road, blew my nose, and the bag had gone in Barcelona. Could not go on our cruise etc.

Having a new passport I had to reapply for my ESTA, one day before the paying deadline, then they made us wait three days before it was authorised. Though they were going to charge us, but no we were OK.

My son went to the states recently, from the UK and still had to fill in the Visa Waiver form.