All foreign nationals entering the US under the visa waiver program will have to submit an application under Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA.) Until now, there has been no fee for applying under ESTA. However, with the passage of the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) which was passed into law by President Obama on March 4, 2010, the US government has announced that there will be fee for all ESTA applications starting from September 8, 2010. Applicants who belong to a country on the US visa waiver program will have to pay a total fee of under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
On August 6, 2010, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared that out of the total fee of , .00 USD would go towards the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) website administration and the remaining .00 USD would be spent for travel promotion.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in collaboration with the Corporation for Travel Promotion will help to provide relevant information to all applicants on required travel documents for entry approval. In addition, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to work with the Department of Commerce to notify all those who will be affected by this change including the foreign and domestic media and the travel industry.
Applicants should note that Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will take up to 72 hours to process and will be valid for up to two years. So applicants should ensure that they process their application ahead of time. Any applicant who wants to stay in the US for at least ninety days must know that the visa waiver program is a simple option.
