Cost of ESTA to rise

[baboons]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Don’t forget to use the official site, not ‘agencies’ who charge extra for nothing. Just because it comes up in a Google search doesn’t mean it’s the right one.

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Yep - if in doubt, click on the word ESTA in any post on The Dibb.

(although the price on that page is going to need updating!)

[outofdate]

Thanks for this as you have motivated me to get mine done this evening. My passport only arrived on Monday and after the stress of waiting for that I was putting off the stress of doing my esta. All done and approved, thank you!

[Ele]

All approved (group of 4) within 30 min .

[gavinbrad]

Sorted mine thanks for the news on price increase. It is such a stressful thing and I have no idea why I get so stressed waitin for the approvals that came through from DHS.

Just need to the test to fly removed and we are sorted as that is just not letting us get properly excited!

[BucksBugsy]

Apologies if this has answered in the thread but can anyone remember how much an ESTA cost when it was first introduced ?

[gforce_iom]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

Apologies if this has answered in the thread but can anyone remember how much an ESTA cost when it was first introduced ?

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It used to be free!

[gavinbrad]

Yeah mine took about 40 mins for 6 as well. :-)

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by gforce_iom

It used to be free!

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Was an ESTA ever free ? I remember the green forms (I94W) were

[Peko]

ESTA was introduced in January 2009, made compulsory from Jan 2010. It was free until Sep 2010, when the $14 ($10 travel promotion fee + $4 operational fee) charge was introduced.

This increase was actually approved by Congress more than two years ago, but not implemented until now. This is why there is no particular connection to any change in the testing requirement, as welcome as its removal would be.

Under the law as it stands, in 2027 the travel promotion element is due to disappear, but the operational fee will remain, so ESTA would in practice drop to $4. Of course, plenty of time to change the law again before then.

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by Peko

ESTA was introduced in January 2009, made compulsory from Jan 2010. It was free until Sep 2010, when the $14 ($10 travel promotion fee + $4 operational fee) charge was introduced.

This increase was actually approved by Congress more than two years ago, but not implemented until now. This is why there is no particular connection to any change in the testing requirement, as welcome as its removal would be.

Under the law as it stands, in 2027 the travel promotion element is due to disappear, but the operational fee will remain, so ESTA would in practice drop to $4. Of course, plenty of time to change the law again before then.

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Thanks for that - I remember it being free now you've said that so just for "fun" I did one when they first came out