ESTA and border fees to rise under new US travel and visa law
The recently passed legislative package (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes a new law approving fee hikes for travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) systems and new charges for migrants apprehended at the border.
From a minimum $13 ESTA fee to $5,000 penalties for arrests of undocumented people, the act reshapes the financial landscape of entering the U.S.
While the U.S. is trying to attract more global tourists, it's also getting serious about fees that will impact border crossing for both travelers and migrants.
"Something that the act does is guarantee funding for Brand USA (America's destination marketing organization). Yet the ESTA and ... the nonimmigrant visas are being raised – sort of curtailing the intended purpose of funding Brand USA," Jorge Loweree, Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, told USA TODAY.
Brand USA did not provide a comment.
What is the 'visa integrity fee' for non‑immigrant visas?
The visa integrity fee is a mandatory $250 fee to be paid by nonimmigrant visa applicants. It is applied in addition to any other existing visa-related fees.
The purpose of the fee is to support enforcement and administrative efforts related to U.S. visa policy and border security.
"Attaching an additional $250 fee has the very real potential to significantly reduce the number of people that can afford to do that," Loweree said. "There are hundreds of thousands of people who receive visas and permission from the Department of State to come to the U.S. every single month temporarily."
The visa integrity fee does not replace or offset any other fees, like the DS-160 application fee, biometrics, or reciprocity fees, and it cannot be waived or reduced. The act also does not limit how the fee may be increased or applied across visa categories, leaving it to the Secretary of Homeland Security to implement via regulation.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement after Congress' approval of the legislative package:
This legislation is a giant step in the right direction when it comes to improving America's travel infrastructure and security. Bold, necessary investments in air traffic control and Customs and Border Protection will make a meaningful difference in the traveler's experience ... The smart investments in the travel process make foolish new fees on foreign visitors and reductions to Brand USA, America's promotion arm, that much harder to swallow. Making America the world's most visited destination – and capitalizing on the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics – requires smarter policy and legislative changes that we are already pursuing.
How much is the ESTA fee to enter the US?
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress extended funding for Brand USA by reaffirming the ESTA fee structure and introducing mandatory fee hikes.
Starting in fiscal year 2025, the law mandates that ESTA include "not less than $13 per travel authorization." It also links future increases to the Consumer Price Index, allowing for annual inflation-based adjustments to take effect beginning in 2026.
"Some of these policy decisions are incoherent," Loweree said. "You see fee hikes on one end, and on the other, claims that the goal is to increase tourism."
The law also codifies a new fee for EVUS, used by certain Chinese nationals, setting a minimum at $30, or more at the discretion of DHS.
Like the ESTA fee, the EVUS fee will increase annually based on inflation.
There's also a separate $5,000 'inadmissible alien apprehension fee' applied to those caught between ports of entry.
Who has to apply for ESTA?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that citizens from countries in the Visa Waiver Program who don't have a visitor's visa and plan to be in the U.S. for 90 days or less apply.
Which countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program?
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