U.S. Hikes 3 Fees on Travelers, Still Waiting on New $250 Visa Fee
Photo Credit: The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, with tourists. Flickr/Creative Commons / Jonathan Cutrer
Skift Take
It’s getting more costly to visit the U.S. after three new fees on international travelers went into effect, with another significant fee hike in the pipeline. Some worry the new fees could curb visitation rates for 2026 events like the FIFA World Cup.
Travel into the U.S. is getting more expensive after the country launched three fee hikes for international travelers:
The I-94 fee, required by travelers entering the U.S. by land, jumped from $6 to $30. Travelers exempt from filling out the form include American citizens, returning lawful permanent residents, most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit, and non-U.S. citizens with immigrant visas. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee nearly doubled from $21 to $40. The fee will impact citizens of the 42 countries in the Visa Waiver Program who plan to visit the U.S. for business or pleasure for no more than 90 days. The fee for the Electronic Visa Update System, paid by Chinese citizens traveling to the U.S. for temporary business or pleasure, jumped to $30.Th
