$14 ESTA fee announced
07.08.10
In a widely expected move, the US Government has announced that it will start charging UK travellers to apply for permission to enter the country. The compulsory Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) is currently free, but from September 9 visitors to the US will have to pay $14 (£9) for it.
People without valid ESTA forms or visas are not be allowed to board flights to the US. The form lasts two years, and people who already have a valid ESTA will not have to pay until their current form expires.
The form, which takes up to 72 hours to be approved, but is approved in minutes for most passengers, gives passengers prior approval for entry to the US. The scheme was introduced in 2009, but was made mandatory from the start of this year. It replaced the green I-94 card that passengers previously filled in on their flight into the US, and applies to all 35 countries with US ‘visa waiver’ status.
The fee has been introduced to fund a programme to promote tourism in the US and attract foreign spending. Some might suggest making it more expensive to get to the US would do exactly the reverse. However, it reminds us of a Ryanair style cash grab. It is too small to discourage those planning to visit the US to make the trip.
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