Travelers heading to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will soon have to add a few cents to the cost of their ESTA electronic travel authorization.
In a notice published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced new amounts for several immigration-related fees for fiscal year 2027.
For the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the change will take effect on October 16, 2026.
From that date, an approved ESTA will cost $40.62, up from the current $40.27.
ESTA fee rises from $40.27 to $40.62
This time, the increase will be very modest: 35 cents more for each approved ESTA.
The increase results from the annual inflation adjustment mechanism established under US legislation known as HR-1. Between July 2025 and July 2026, the US Consumer Price Index used for the calculation, the CPI-U, rose by 3.36%.
However, not every component of the ESTA fee is subject to inflation adjustment.
The current charge consists of three components: $17, $10.27 to cover the operation and administration of the ESTA system, and $13.
Only the second component is being adjusted. It will increase from $10.27 to $10.62, while the $17 and $13 components will remain unchanged.
The total cost of an approved ESTA will therefore be: $17 + $10.62 + $13 = $40.62
If an ESTA application is denied, the traveler will only be charged the system operating component, meaning $10.62, up from the current $10.27.
For a family of four submitting four new applications, the increase will amount to an additional $1.40 in total.
Another ESTA fee change after increases in 2025 and early 2026
The 35-cent increase is far smaller than the change introduced a year earlier.
On September 30, 2025, the ESTA fee nearly doubled, rising from $21 to $40 following the introduction of new fees under HR-1.
A first annual inflation adjustment then took effect on January 1, 2026, raising the fee from $40 to $40.27.
The ESTA fee will therefore have changed three times in just over a year:
- $21 before September 30, 2025;
- $40 starting September 30, 2025;
- $40.27 since January 1, 2026;
- $40.62 starting October 16, 2026.
The difference is that the two most recent changes fall under the annual inflation adjustment mechanism established by US law.
Existing ESTA authorizations are not affected
The new fee will apply to applications submitted starting October 16, 2026.
Travelers who already have a valid ESTA will not have to pay any additional fee or submit a new application because of the increase.
An ESTA is generally valid for two years from the date of approval, or until the passport linked to it expires, whichever comes first.
Travelers who need to submit a new application in the coming days will therefore still pay $40.27 through October 15, 2026, before the fee increases to $40.62 the following day.
EVUS and immigration parole fees will also increase, while the I-94 fee stays at $30
ESTA is not the only program affected by the new DHS fee adjustments.
Starting October 16, 2026, the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) fee will increase from $30.75 to $31.75, an increase of one dollar.
EVUS is currently used by Chinese nationals holding certain 10-year US visas in the B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 categories, who are required to update certain information before traveling to the United States.
The fee associated with immigration parole, a mechanism that in certain circumstances allows a foreign national to enter the United States temporarily without being formally admitted, will rise from $1,020 to $1,050.
By contrast, the total fee for a Form I-94 application at certain land ports of entry will remain $30.
That amount consists of a $24 fee introduced under HR-1 and an existing $6 fee. The inflation adjustment calculated for fiscal year 2027 on the $24 portion comes to $0.81, but under the formula established by law, the amount must be rounded down to the nearest whole dollar. As a result, there will be no increase this year.
CBP also specifies that this fee applies to I-94 applications made at land ports of entry. It is not charged to travelers arriving by air or sea, since they are not required to submit this type of Form I-94 application.
ESTA remains required for visa-free travel to the United States
ESTA allows nationals of the 42 countries and territories participating in the Visa Waiver Program, including travelers from the UK, Australia, Japan and many European countries, to visit the United States without first obtaining a conventional visa for tourism or business stays of up to 90 days.
The electronic authorization must be obtained before departure for travel to the United States by air, sea or land.
An approved ESTA does not, however, guarantee admission to the United States. The final decision remains with CBP officers at the port of entry.
VisasNews Take
The October 16 increase is limited to 35 cents per approved ESTA. More importantly, it confirms that annual inflation-based adjustments are now being applied to certain US immigration-related fees. Travelers who already hold a valid ESTA are not affected by the change and do not need to take any action.
