US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is to increase the fee it levies on inbound international travellers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) to visit the US from $14 to $21.
The increased fee, which includes a $4 operational fee, was revealed in a notice in the Federal Register, which said that the travel promotion part of the charge was rising from $10 to $17.
A CBP spokesperson confirmed to BTN via email that the new fee will take effect on May 26.
ESTA, which was established in 2009, allows business travellers and other passengers coming from 40 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to enter for stays of up to 90 days without having to acquire a US visa.
CBP uses ESTA to assess whether inbound travellers are eligible for visa-free entry to the US, with each authorisation eligible for two years. Most European countries take part in the VWP.
The new higher ESTA fee was also extended to 2027, according to the notice, which also stated that this was the first increase in the charge since 2015.
Part of the proceeds of the ESTA fee also support Brand USA, a public-private organisation formed to promote the US as a destination.