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New ESTA fee for international travelers to the U.S. starting September 8, 2010 | 09:29 PM GMT, August 10, 2010

Starting September 8, 2010 international passengers traveling to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program will be required to pay a fee of US$14 for the compulsory ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) application or renewal prior to travel.

Revenue from the new fee will be used to cover operational costs for administering the system and to promote U.S. travel.

Travelers are encouraged to apply for travel authorization 72 hours prior to entering the U.S. by air or sea. Once approved, authorisations are generally valid for multiple entries into the US for up to two years or until the applicant’s passport expires, at which point travelers will be required to pay the fee again.

All payments for electronic travel authorization applications must be made by credit card or debit card at the time of application. Accepted forms of payment include MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover cards.

Travelers with no confirmed plans to visit the U.S. can still apply for or renew ESTA before September 8 at no fee.

Registration and further information is available at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Countries in the Visa Waiver Program:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

For any questions concerning the information contained in this Hot News, please contact your CWT representative.