Going to America soon? You have three weeks to dodge Donald Trump’s Esta fee hike – UK Times

Anyone planning to visit the US by September 2027 could save $19 (£14) by obtaining an Esta permit before the end of this month.

From 30 September 2025, the price of an application for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation that most British travellers use to visit the US will almost double from $21 (£16) to $40 (£30).

Part of the increase – $6 – goes to the “operational fee”, ie running the system. The $17 “travel promotion fee” element of the Esta application charge is unchanged.

But the main portion of the rise goes to the American government. US Customs and Border Protection says: “Congress, through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, added the Treasury General Fund fee of no less than $13.”

Applications that are completed and paid for no later than 29 September will be charged the lower rate. The Esta is valid for two years.

President Trump’s act stipulates that the fee will subsequently rise in line with inflation, using the July figure for the US Consumer Price Index.

When the Esta was first launched in 2008, it was free. A $14 (now £10) fee was introduced in 2010. In May 2022, the cost of an Esta increased by half to the current $21.

The impending rise represents a near-trebling of the Esta fee in barely three years.

Many “third party” sites pay for high rankings on Google and add fees that can quadruple the cost of an Esta. They have no connection with the US government and are often based abroad. For example, the website US Immigration Support is based in Belize, Central America.

The EU’s proposed Etias (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) has nearly trebled from the originally proposed €7 (£6). The permit, which is due to take effect in October 2026, will cost €20 (£17).