As a national of a Visa Waiver Country, do I have to pay the ESTA fee?
Yes, there is an ESTA fee to be paid in order to apply for ESTA US. This fee was introduced by the United States Travel Promotion Act of 2009. Most websites charge a cost that is split into two parts:
- Processing Fee: All travelers who apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) pay a processing fee. This covers the costs of processing and submitting their ESTA applications. This fee is also applicable to all visa waiver country nationals. The fee is dependent on which website you use to submit your application.
- Government Fee: The total price includes a USD 21 government fee.
Both the mandatory U.S. Government fee and the processing charge are charged simultaneously and must be paid with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard).
Your ESTA for USA is valid for two years after your application is approved.
How do I pay the ESTA fee as a Visa Waiver country citizen?
All ESTA fees can be paid with a valid debit or credit card. Visa and Mastercard can be used. Your application will be rejected if you use an invalid or expired credit card.
You do not have to pay for the ESTA form. Travel agents, processing agencies, or friends and family may be able to help you. However, they must specify who is paying for the application costs.
Can I pay multiple ESTA fees with a single method of payment?
Yes. If you submit them all together, then yes. Once the system has approved an application, applicants do not have to travel together.
Nevertheless, each family member or individual who plans to travel with the group must complete their ESTA form individually. You can do this by clicking “Add Individual” and then letting each person fill out their data fields. Once you have completed all the data fields, you can pay for everyone at once.
You will need a PayPal or credit card to make payments to ESTA Visa. Once the system has approved the group application, it will ask for a single contact person and create an automatic application ID that the group can use to check the status. The point of contact may also request that the system send the application ID via email to a specified address.
How many ESTA applications can I submit via single payment?
With a single payment, you can submit up to fifty ESTA requests. Even if all applications are submitted simultaneously, applicants don’t need to travel together.
Is paying the ESTA fees with a credit or debit card safe?
Yes. The ESTA system, or Pay.gov, does not store your credit card details after the purchase is validated. When using a third-party service, check to see if the website is secure and if the certificate SSL is used. Your transaction information will be protected by 128-bit SSL while logged into Pay.gov.
Account numbers entered in your profile will also be encrypted before they are stored in the database. Account numbers will not be visible when you access your profile. Instead, they will appear as cluster asterisks with the final four digits of the account.
Do other countries charge entry/exit fees?
Yes. At least 56 countries charge travel, entry, exit, and visa waiver fees. Visa waivers and travel authorization applications can cost anywhere from $10 to $100, depending on where the traveler is going and their nationality. Travelers are still charged hidden fees by nations that do not require travel authorization to allow them entry without requiring a visa. These fees are often included in the price of an airline ticket.
Canada and Australia use travel authorization forms that are similar to those used in the United States. For example, an Electronic Travel Authorization for Canada costs about $7, while an ETA for Australia is more than $20. The European Travel Information and Authorization System is being set up in the Schengen region of the European Union. It will work similarly to ESTA. The European ETIAS is expected to be operational in 2023.
Is my child required to pay for ESTA?
Yes. Both accompanied, and unaccompanied children traveling to the US must submit their own ESTA application and pay fees. However, children cannot apply for ESTA by themselves. Minors should accompany their parents or guardians to complete an ESTA application. You can apply for ESTA yourself if you are at least 16 years old.
What is the ESTA Fee?
Most websites charge a fee that is divided into two parts.
- Processing Fee: Travelers who apply for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) pay a fee upfront to cover the costs of processing and submitting their ESTA applications. This fee is also applicable to nationals from a VWP country. The fee is dependent on which website you use to submit your application.
- The total price includes a USD 21 government fee.
Both the mandatory U.S. Government fee and the processing charge are charged simultaneously and must be paid with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard).
Your ESTA is valid for two years if your application has been approved and you have been granted permission to travel in the United States as part of the Visa Waiver Program.
