The Cost For Tourists To Apply For A US Travel Visa Is About To Double. Here's What This Means For Foreign Visitors

Across the nation, tourism in the U.S. is facing some headwinds. There have been huge declines in passenger numbers at airports in Florida, and tourism in Las Vegas is tanking hard. A new charge for foreign tourist visas may only make matters worse. Starting on September 30, 2025, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application will cost $40 per visitor; an increase from the current rate of $21.

The $40 charge applies to visitors from visa-exempt countries for stays in the U.S. of 90 days or less. There are 42 countries in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), including much of Europe as well as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and South Korea. To apply for ESTA, you must also have a biometric passport, and you can't have visited certain countries, like Cuba, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea, in the past.

The new cost is part of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," and $17 of the increased fee will go to promoting American tourism, $13 will go to the U.S. Treasury Fund, while the remaining $10 is an operational fee. ESTA approval is required before entering the U.S. Once you receive it, it's valid for two years, unless your passport expires, and then you'll need to reapply. If you are traveling to the U.S. from a Visa Waiver country, consider applying ASAP to avoid the increase in fees.

With these new increases, the ESTA fee is nearly doubled, though it is significantly less than the amount that must be paid by visitors from non-Visa Waiver countries. Those foreign visitors also have to pay a $250 "visa integrity fee." That new fee is part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" initiative, and it's set to start on October 1, 2025.

The "visa integrity fee" is separate from the visa processing cost of $185, and the $250 is refundable after the visa expires for those travelers who followed the guidelines of their visa. However, some people on social media have doubts that the reimbursement will be easy or even possible. If you're entering the U.S. by land, there is also a separate I-94 Arrival and Departure Record fee. That cost is increasing from $6 to $30 on October 1, 2025.

If you have upcoming travel plans to the U.S., check updated guidelines from the government to calculate your decision and try to apply for your visas before the prices go up. Ultimately, these increases for international travelers have some travel advisors worried, and it's one of the reasons people assume that the decrease in international travel to the U.S. is expected to continue beyond summer.