The US formalizes the increase in the ESTA fee to $40

On August 28, VisasNews revealed the effective date of the ESTA fee increase, as well as confirmation of the new fee.

The increase in the ESTA fee for the United States has now been confirmed on the official ESTA website by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. federal agency responsible for managing entry into the country, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The US authorities have just updated the FAQ section of the esta.cbp.dhs.gov portal and officially announced that, as of September 30, 2025, the fee for obtaining an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will increase from $21 to $40.

This is a significant increase that will affect all travelers using the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to enter the United States.

Why is the price of ESTA increasing?

In response to this question, the US authorities explain that this increase is the result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed last July, which revises the fee structure for ESTA authorization.

“Congress […] added the Treasury General Fund fee of no less than $13 and increased the operational fee portion of the ESTA application fee from $4 to no less than $10. The $17 travel promotion fee portion of the ESTA application has not increased,” announced the CBP.

The $40 fee is now broken down as follows:

• $17 for travel promotion (unchanged);
• $10 for operational fee of the ESTA system (up from $4 previously);
• $13 for the Treasury General Fund fee, a new levy introduced by the law.

When will the new ESTA fee apply?

According to the ESTA portal FAQ, “the CBP systems updates required to collect the new fee amount are scheduled to be effective on September 30, 2025.”

Any ESTA application paid for before this date will remain at the current rate of $21. However, any application initiated but not paid for after the system update will automatically be charged $40.

No need to reapply if your ESTA is still valid

The CBP is reassuring: no additional steps are necessary if you already have an approved ESTA.

“If you already have a valid, approved ESTA you do not need to re-apply,” confirms the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

ESTA remains valid until its expiration date. The new fee will only apply to future applications submitted after September 30, 2025.

ESTA explained: eligibility, required documents, validity, and processing times

ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is an electronic travel authorization required to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.

To submit your application, you will need:

• your valid biometric or electronic passport;
• a recent passport photo or compliant selfie;
• a credit card or PayPal account to pay the fees online.

Once the application has been completed online, ESTA authorization is usually issued within a few minutes to a maximum of 72 hours. It is valid for two years (or until your passport expires, whichever comes first) and allows you to make multiple trips to the United States, up to a limit of 90 days per trip.

If you are a citizen of one of the following 42 countries and territories, you can enter the United States without a visa for a short stay, as long as you have an approved ESTA authorization: