USA to start charging international travellers

[Cyrano]

Since January 2010 it has been mandatory for travellers from Andorra, Iceland, Norway, Austria, Italy, San Marino, Germany,
Australia, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand,
Brunei, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Finland, Monaco, Sweden,
Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Netherlands, Switzerland and United Kingdom to complete ESTA on-line as part of the Visa Waiver Programme.

The application process was free and covered travelling for 2 years.

It is now being reported at various online sites that travellers will be charged $14 from September 2010 to complete the application. $4 will go towards administration and the remaining $10 towards tourism promotion.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

 

[mikelan6]

This is truly ridiculous. The US government already charges an arrival fee, a customes fee and an immigration fee along a bunch of other fees when you buy an airline ticket. Why not just raise the price of that?

Although it's only $14, I can only imagine that this is going to disuade some tourists from coming to the US and the last thing we need these days is less tourists!!!

 

[john1928]

It may disuade some tourists, but $14 probably isn't going to stop business travelers, students, or folks visiting friends/family. I don't know if the tourism promotion spending will have a net positive impact on total travel but I doubt it will have too much of an impact in either direction...

It's always easiest to tax/fee the folks who don't elect the people passing the rules. That's why hotel, airport, taxi, hospitality, etc. taxes can be so absurdly high. That said, $14 for 2 years is a better deal than what we're paying for passports to leave the country these days

 

[macman752]

Save some money. Fly to Canada or Mexico then pick a US border state and just walk on in!

 

[paulasillars]

Save some money. Fly to Canada or Mexico then pick a US border state and just walk on in!

Even so, I'm guessing we'd still need the appropriate documentation and forms, such as a visa waiver which means paying the fee regardless of where we enter.

 

[disneyholic family]

$14 is still cheap Reid...be happy that's all you'll have to pay as coming from a visa waiver country..

other countries have to pay $140 for a visa to the US!! and that's for a tourist visa....

which is why it costs so much for americans to get visas to many other countries....those countries match the US tourist visa fee....

 

[Zip-a-dee-dude-da]

THIS IS OUTRAGOUS>>>CANCEL MY CROSS ATLANTIC TRIP THAT COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE I REFUSE TO PAY 14.oo MORE>>>>>>>SARCASM

 

[teskak]

Yup, I just filled out the applications in advance of PCC 2.0. No fee charged yet, BUT I do not know if either myself or DH will be granted admission.

My 6 year old DD's authorisation was granted immediatly, but ours has to wait for up to 72 hours (which the site says is not unusual). This is to replace the pre-existing visa waiver where provided we gave passport details etc to the travel agent in advance of travel, the visa waiver was granted at the border.

And this is even after I promised I would not be committing any acts of terrorism or moral turpitude while at WDW.

 

[hookedonears]

This is truly ridiculous. The US government already charges an arrival fee, a customes fee and an immigration fee along a bunch of other fees when you buy an airline ticket. Why not just raise the price of that?

Although it's only $14, I can only imagine that this is going to disuade some tourists from coming to the US and the last thing we need these days is less tourists!!!

From the sound of things in Arizona, I don't think too many people pay the immigration fee.

 

[Cyrano]

This is truly ridiculous. The US government already charges an arrival fee, a customes fee and an immigration fee along a bunch of other fees when you buy an airline ticket. Why not just raise the price of that?

Although it's only $14, I can only imagine that this is going to disuade some tourists from coming to the US and the last thing we need these days is less tourists!!!

Thanks Mike. I am not sure it will dissuade travellers but I think it will annoy them since between the UK and USA that has not been a charge.
I suspect all those rogue sites that charge for completion will be pleased since they will get off with duping tourists for even more money.

 

[arielrocks]

It's annoying but it is what it is, gonna do mine before the charge comes in, then it will cover me for a few more trips!