United States Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) US$21 (Will be US$40 by September 30, 2025) @ DHS.gov

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beatthatflight on 09/09/2025 - 14:50 esta.cbp.dhs.gov (207 clicks)
Last edited 09/09/2025 - 15:11 by 1 other user

The US authorities have just updated the FAQ section of the esta.cbp.dhs.gov portal and officially announced that, as of September 30, 2025, the fee for obtaining an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will increase from $21 to $40.

This is a significant increase that will affect all travelers using the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to enter the United States.

I was noting in this comment before I figured I should post it, the ESTA is valid for 2 years so if you're looking to go any time in the next couple of years, applying now could save you some cash.

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  Wakrak on 09/09/2025 - 15:18

  OzB post
  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/923349

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  RDT1 on 09/09/2025 - 16:18

  +15

  Or go to Canada and avoid the US all together. You are not covered by insurance if denied at the border…. and they seem to be getting very authoritarian at the moment. Advice is to take a burner phone and scrub your social media. Said anything pro-Palestine, or anything that could be deemed 'immoral'? denial likely.

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    scott on 09/09/2025 - 16:33

    +8

    Indeed their electronic travel authorization is CAN $7 amazing value.

    Be careful, there are the sponsored links on google (with prices 10x higher), before you get to the official link.

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    jackvdbuk on 09/09/2025 - 17:37

    +2

    Believe it or not straight to jail

    You may need a esta for transiting to Europe so worth getting it for that too

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    ZacDaMan on 10/09/2025 - 08:37

    I went to Canada (Quebec) earlier this year and couldn't find any direct flights, I had to go through the States. My (subjective and anecdotal) experience was that it was much quicker/less painful than the internet had led me to believe it would be, no phone checks or anything and getting through customs only took a few minutes each way

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  FarOut on 10/09/2025 - 07:19

  +2

  With their current erratic behaviour at the border where you can be detained for weeks for having done nothing wrong(!) I will pass on that anyway.
  And that is despite the fact that basically all my rellies are Yanks.
  Ta.

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  fatboyj on 10/09/2025 - 09:25

  +1

  I transited through New York to London earlier this year and its a full immigration affair, one hour wait to collect luggage and then another 2 hours slow snake through customs where they took full fingerprints of both hands. And large screen videos playing of Krist Noem spouting shit about homeland security. This was for transit ffs and I paid for the privilege with an ESTA! Not going anywhere near the States again till the orange ape is out.
  OMG the contrast transiting back via Singapore is beyond belief.

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    scott on 10/09/2025 - 09:39

    Other than the Kristi Noem video's, this is normal for the USA. In general they don't allow airside transiting (like Singapore etc). I understand this is less of a legal issue, and just more to do with the design of their airports. The International departures side isn't set up to be secure from an immigration / customs point of view.

    So you must clear immigration into the USA, collect your bags etc.

    Last time we did it was about a decade ago Flying from Mexico to NZ with a 5 hour layover in LAX. Thought it was going to be a boring, long layover, but in the end we only got to the gate about 10 mins before boarding started.

    Going to the UK / Europe, transiting through Asia is generally seen as the better option. But going to the likes of Mexico, it it typically hard to avoid a US transit.

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  Zyo on 10/09/2025 - 12:27

  Why would anyone travel to the States for "pleasure" nowadays.

  Go visit a more progressive (and affordable) country like China fellow cheapies!

  • 

    weirdobeardo on 13/09/2025 - 11:28

    Affordable, maybe. Progressive? Are you out of your mind?

    Screw US and the orange baboon, sure, but the bullying China is doing to Philippines and Vietnam over international waters, plus the the persecution of Uyghurs, plus a lot of govt sponsored oppression to speech. Man, you're tripping.

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      Zyo on 13/09/2025 - 11:48

      Worth a trip to find out the truth instead of being fed narratives?

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  atoms on 12/09/2025 - 08:01

  +1

  thanks so much - planned family visit to the US later this year, you've saved me quite a bit on fees!