ESTA Fee 2026: $40.62 From 16 October, Plus UK ETA and ETIAS Costs

The ESTA fee goes up to $40.62 per person on 16 October 2026, a 35-cent inflation rise on today's $40.27. The bigger change already happened: the ESTA cost $21 until 29 September 2025. For a family of four, permission to visit the US now costs $162.48, before a single flight is booked.

That 35 cents is not worth rushing for. If you have a trip coming up, apply when it suits you, and spend the energy on the flight instead: compare flights on Navoy.

How much is the ESTA fee in 2026?

$40.27 until 15 October 2026, and $40.62 from 16 October. The new amount is made of three parts set by US law: a $17 travel promotion fee, a $10.62 processing fee and a $13 fee per authorisation. Only the processing part rises each year, in line with US inflation.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published the new amounts in the Federal Register on 1 October 2026. The processing fee goes from $10.27 to $10.62, a rise the notice ties to consumer prices, which climbed 3.36% between July 2025 and July 2026. The other two parts do not move.

Here is how the fee has changed since 2022:

The same law requires an adjustment every year, so $40.62 is unlikely to be the last increase.

What happens if your ESTA is denied?

You still pay the processing part. From 16 October 2026 a denied ESTA costs $10.62, up from $10.27. You are charged the full $40.62 only if the application is approved. A denial does not refund the processing fee, so check your passport details before you pay.

If your ESTA is denied and you still want to travel, CBP says you will need to apply for a visa at a US embassy or consulate. Copy your passport number and date of birth straight from the passport's photo page: a typo is the one mistake that is entirely in your hands.

Do you need a new ESTA after the fee rise?

No. The fee is charged when you apply, so an approved ESTA keeps working. CBP says approvals are usually valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You need a new one only when it expires, or when you get a new passport.

When CBP raised the fee from $14 to $21 in 2022, it said the same thing: travellers with an approved ESTA did not have to apply again. Check your expiry date on the official ESTA site before a trip, especially if you renewed your passport since your last visit.

Two practical points:

• Every traveller needs their own ESTA, including children of any age. CBP's own FAQ is clear on this. A family of four pays four fees.
• Leave time for the answer. The US government's travel guide says a decision can take up to 72 hours.

Who needs an ESTA, a UK ETA or ETIAS?

Visa-free visitors. Citizens of US Visa Waiver Program countries, such as the UK, Australia and Japan, need an ESTA for the US. Most visa-free visitors to the UK, including Americans, Canadians and EU citizens (but not Irish citizens), need a UK ETA. ETIAS will apply to visa-free visitors to 30 European countries once it starts.

These are not visas. Each one is an online pre-clearance, linked to your passport, that you get before you fly. It doesn't guarantee entry: the border officer still decides when you land.

The UK ETA catches more people than expected, because you need one even to change planes if your connection takes you through UK border control. Americans flying to Europe via London should check their route.

How do the ESTA, UK ETA, ETIAS and Canada eTA compare?

The ESTA is now the most expensive of the four at $40.62, against about $26 (£20) for the UK ETA, about $22 (€20) for ETIAS when it launches, and about $5 (CAD 7) for Canada's eTA. Canada's eTA lasts longest, up to 5 years, and ETIAS is the only one free for children.

Dollar amounts for the UK, EU and Canada are converted at the European Central Bank reference rates of 5 October 2026 and rounded; you pay the official amount in pounds, euros or Canadian dollars.

Watch for copycat sites. Search "ESTA" or "UK ETA" and the first results are often private sites that fill in the same form for a much higher fee. The UK government warns that "other websites may charge more to apply" and to avoid sites that imitate government services. Canada says to apply only on its official site. The only official ESTA address is esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

How much does a family of four pay for travel permits?

$162.48 for the US from 16 October, about $106 for the UK and about $45 for Europe once ETIAS starts. A family that needs all three would spend about $313 on permits alone. The difference comes from children: the US and UK charge them the full fee, ETIAS does not.

We worked this out for two adults and two children aged 10 and 14, using each government's published fee:

Spread over the longest time each permit can last, the gap is wider still. One adult pays about $20 per year of ESTA validity, against about $13 for the UK ETA, about $7.50 for ETIAS and under $1 for Canada's eTA. The ESTA is the most expensive of the four by a distance, whichever way you count it.

If you are budgeting a US trip for the family, the permits are now a line worth adding next to the flights and the hotel. Compare hotels in New York or plan the whole trip free, with the budget split the way you want it.

Is ETIAS live yet?

No. The EU's official ETIAS site says ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are collected. It gives no start date, only a promise to announce it several months before launch. When it starts it will cost €20 (about $22), with under-18s and over-70s exempt.

So for any trip to Europe this autumn or winter, your passport is enough. Any website taking money for an ETIAS today is selling nothing. Our ETIAS status guide for 2026 tracks the launch and what Americans will need when it happens.

Frequently asked questions

When does the new ESTA fee start?

On 16 October 2026. CBP will charge $40.62 for every approved ESTA from that date, and $10.62 for a denied application. Until 15 October the fee is $40.27, or $10.27 if denied. The amounts come from a Federal Register notice published on 1 October 2026.

Should I apply for my ESTA before 16 October to save money?

Only if you were going to apply anyway. The saving is 35 cents per person. An ESTA usually lasts 2 years, so applying early only makes sense for a trip within that window. Never pay a third-party site to "beat" the increase: their fees are far higher than the rise itself.

Do children need their own ESTA or UK ETA?

Yes, for both. CBP requires every Visa Waiver traveller, of any age, to hold their own approved ESTA, and the UK says each person needs an ETA, including babies and children. Both charge children the full fee. ETIAS will be free for anyone under 18.

Is the ESTA fee refundable?

Not the processing part. The $10.62 processing fee (from 16 October) covers the cost of handling every application, so it is charged even when the answer is no; the rest is charged only on approval. An approved ESTA does not have to be used on one trip: it covers repeat visits until it expires.

Sources

• Federal Register, FY 2027 inflation adjustments, 1 October 2026 - the $40.62 ESTA fee and $10.62 denial fee from 16 October 2026, the $17 + $10.62 + $13 breakdown, the 3.36% CPI-U rise, the fee history table
• Federal Register, FY 2026 inflation adjustments, 19 November 2025 - the $40.27 fee from 1 January 2026, $10.27 if denied
• Federal Register, CBP fees required by HR-1, 28 August 2025 - the $40 fee replacing $21 from 30 September 2025
• CBP, ESTA fee change (2022) - $14 to $21 from 26 May 2022, approved ESTAs not re-applying
• CBP, Visa Waiver Program and ESTA FAQ - 2-year validity or passport expiry, children need their own ESTA
• USA.gov, Visa Waiver Program and ESTA - decisions can take up to 72 hours
• GOV.UK, apply for an ETA - £20 fee, decision usually within a day and up to 3 working days, 2 years or until the passport expires
• GOV.UK, ETA overview - who needs one, transit through UK border control, the warning about imitation websites, every child needs one
• GOV.UK, visa and ETA fees table - the ETA rise from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026, unchanged in the 8 October 2026 table
• Travel to Europe, ETIAS (European Commission) - not in operation, start date to be announced several months ahead, €20 fee, 30 countries, 3-year validity, under-18 and over-70 exemption
• Government of Canada, eTA - CAD 7, up to 5 years, air travel only, US citizens exempt
• European Central Bank, euro reference rates - 5 October 2026 rates used for every dollar conversion

All figures verified 6 October 2026.

Related articles

• ETIAS Status 2026: Not Launched, No Date Yet
• Passports That Gained and Lost Visa-Free Countries in 2026
• 4 European Cities Changing Their Tourist Rules in 2027

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