ESTA Fee Increase Goes into Effect at the End of September

Sept. 5, 2025

NBAA advises operators of an upcoming increase to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application fee. Effective Sept. 30, the ESTA fee will be set at $40, nearly double the current rate.

Part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), ESTA approval allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for a period of 90 days or less without a visa. Signatory carriers in the program, including many business aircraft operators, are responsible for ensuring all ESTA travelers have current, up-to-date documentation.

Laura Everington, NBAA director of international operations and regulations, noted the increase serves as a reminder for operators to familiarize themselves with their obligations under the VWP and ESTA.

“Entry into the U.S. with an ESTA grants travelers the ability to stay for up to 90 days, with their entry and exit being monitored through the signatory carrier’s submission of Advance Passenger Information System,” she said.

Signatory carrier agreements are valid for seven years from the date of approval. Each traveler’s ESTA is valid for two years or until a current passport tied to the ESTA expires, at which time the traveler must reapply to the program with their updated travel document information.

Including commercial airlines, an estimated 40 million ESTA travelers visit the U.S. every year. ESTA travelers can make multiple trips to the U.S. during the entirety of the validity period.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also raised the application fee for the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) used by Chinese citizens visiting the U.S. for business or personal reasons. The new $30 charge will also go into effect at the end of September.

CBP made the changes as required under the Trump Administration’s tax and spending bill passed earlier this year. The fee increases also apply to any unpaid ESTA or EVUS applications in the system after Sept. 30.