France Joins Italy, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain And More In Being Impacted By Soaring Us Travel Authorisation Fees That Nearly Double This Autumn Amid Falling Visitor Numbers: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Published on September 6, 2025

France joins Italy, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, and much successful being deed by soaring US recreation authorisation fees because Washington has announced that nan costs of nan ESTA, nan physics strategy required for short stays nether nan Visa Waiver Program, will almost double this autumn. At a clip erstwhile nan United States is already dealing pinch a driblet successful overseas visitant arrivals, nan steep summation from $21 to $40 raises concerns that higher introduction fees whitethorn deter European visitors moreover more. The alteration is expected to person an effect connected recreation budgets, reshape demand, and perchance displacement tourism flows distant from nan US, arsenic millions of visitors from 41 participating countries dangle connected ESTA for family vacations, business travel, and vacations.

Travel to nan United States is astir to get much costly for millions of Europeans, arsenic Washington prepares to instrumentality a steep hike successful nan costs of its physics recreation authorisation system. Starting this autumn, citizens of 41 countries — including almost each European Union personnel states — will look astir double nan interest erstwhile applying for nan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The summation comes astatine a clip erstwhile America is struggling pinch a visible diminution successful overseas visitors, raising concerns that nan move could further harm world tourism to 1 of nan world’s astir celebrated destinations.

ESTA Fee Hike Announced

The ESTA programme has agelong been nan introduction constituent for travellers from countries that participate successful nan U.S. Visa Waiver Program. It allows visitors from Europe and different eligible states to recreation to nan United States for up to 90 days without nan request to use for a accepted visa.

But opening 30 September 2025, nan costs of an ESTA will emergence from $21 (€18) to $40 (€34). For millions of travellers readying holidays, business trips, aliases family visits, nan accrued value marks 1 of nan sharpest adjustments successful caller years.

The ESTA remains valid for 2 years erstwhile approved, but each caller applicant aliases renewal will beryllium required to salary this revised fee.

Breakdown of nan New Fees

The higher complaint is not a azygous lump sum but a operation of different elements tied to some management and U.S. authorities funds.

• $10 (€8.50) – Processing interest charged for each applications, sloppy of support outcome.
• $30 (€25.60) – Additional authorisation interest applied erstwhile nan ESTA is approved.
  • $17 (€14.50) – Travel promotion charge, directed towards boosting U.S. tourism campaigns.
  • $13 (€11) – Treasury General Fund contribution, designed to support broader national programs.

If an ESTA exertion is rejected, nan traveller only loses nan $10 processing charge, while nan remaining authorisation interest is not applied.

Who Needs to Pay nan ESTA Fee

The alteration affects nationals from 41 countries participating successful nan Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Among these are astir each European Union states arsenic good arsenic nan United Kingdom.

EU countries required to get ESTA:

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

Three EU countries are not portion of nan programme — Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania. Citizens of these nations must proceed to use for a accepted U.S. tourer visa alternatively of ESTA.

Impact connected European Travellers

For European citizens accustomed to comparatively debased ESTA costs, nan summation represents much than conscionable a insignificant administrative rise. A astir 90% jump successful price will make U.S. recreation little affordable, particularly for families and groups. For instance, a family of 4 will now salary $160 (€136) conscionable to unafraid recreation authorisations, compared to $84 previously.

This is expected to power recreation decisions astatine a clip erstwhile galore households are already emotion nan strain of higher world recreation costs, from airfare surcharges to edifice value spikes.

Decline successful US Tourism Numbers

The timing of nan interest summation is drafting disapproval because it coincides pinch an already struggling American tourism sector.

• According to preliminary figures from nan U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office, world arrivals to nan United States (excluding Canada and Mexico) person dropped by 1.6% successful 2025, representing much than 3 cardinal less visitors compared to nan erstwhile year.
• In July 2025 alone, overseas arrivals fell by 3.1% year-on-year, leaving full visitant numbers astatine 19.2 million.
• This was nan fifth consecutive month of decline, a worrying inclination fixed expectations that U.S. inbound tourism would yet surpass its pre-pandemic highest of 79.4 cardinal visitors annually.

Instead of recovery, America now finds itself grappling pinch declining entreaty astatine a clip erstwhile rival destinations are enjoying growth.

Policy and Political Factors Behind nan Decline

Industry observers constituent to respective underlying causes:

• Immigration policies: Stricter separator controls and analyzable introduction requirements nether nan Trump management person near a lingering cognition of nan U.S. arsenic a difficult destination for visitors.
• Tariffs and waste and acquisition disputes: Heightened tensions pinch respective trading partners person dampened bilateral recreation demand.
• Cuts to overseas aid: These decisions person contributed to a little favourable world image of nan U.S., reducing its attractiveness arsenic a destination.

The caller ESTA value hike risks reinforcing these barriers alternatively than reversing them.

Additional Visa Integrity Fee

Adding to nan interest is different interest targeting travellers from non-ESTA countries. From 1 October 2025, a $250 (€287) “visa integrity fee” will beryllium introduced. This affects visitors from countries specified arsenic Argentina, Mexico, China, Brazil, and India, who already require a accepted U.S. visa.

With this addition, nan total U.S. visa costs will emergence to $442 (€379), making it among nan astir costly tourer visas globally.

For comparison:

• Australia: Visitor visa (Subclass 600) – AUD 195 (€108).
• United Kingdom: Six-month tourer visa – £127 (€145).

This places nan U.S. astatine nan very apical of nan world standard for costly introduction permits, further complicating its expertise to pull overseas tourists.

Special Information astatine a Glance

✦ New ESTA interest from 30 September 2025 – $40 (€34), up from $21 (€18).
✦ Breakdown – $10 processing fee, $17 recreation promotion charge, $13 Treasury contribution.
✦ Valid for 2 years – Each ESTA allows aggregate entries but must beryllium renewed erstwhile expired.
✦ Eligible travellers – Citizens of 41 VWP countries, including 24 EU states positive nan UK.
✦ Exceptions successful nan EU – Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania require a regular U.S. visa.
✦ Rejected applications – Only $10 mislaid if authorisation is denied.
✦ Visa integrity interest from 1 October 2025 – $250 other for non-ESTA countries for illustration India, China, and Brazil.
✦ Total visa costs for affected countries – $442 (€379), among nan world’s highest.

Reactions from nan Travel Industry

When nan U.S. Congress approved nan interest summation successful July 2025, nan U.S. Travel Association warned it could person damaging effects connected nan sector. Tourism leaders reason that expanding introduction costs during a downturn creates unnecessary barriers, peculiarly erstwhile neighbouring countries specified arsenic Canada and Mexico proceed to pull visitors pinch less obstacles.

There are besides fears that nan added charges will disproportionately effect younger travellers, students, and budget-conscious visitors who lend importantly to nan U.S. system done spending successful retail, hospitality, and intermezo sectors.

The preamble of higher ESTA fees and caller visa charges sets nan shape for a challenging play successful U.S. tourism. While nan further costs are partially justified arsenic a intends to beforehand American recreation abroad, they consequence creating nan other effect — discouraging nan very visitors whose spending powers section economies.

For now, travellers from France, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, and different EU countries must hole for higher costs erstwhile readying trips to nan U.S. Families and circuit operators alike are expected to reassess their plans, perchance diverting recreation request toward much affordable destinations.

France joins Italy, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain and much successful facing soaring US recreation authorisation fees because nan ESTA costs will astir double this autumn amid falling visitant numbers.

As world title for visitors grows, nan U.S. faces nan difficult task of balancing gross postulation pinch nan semipermanent extremity of sustaining its position arsenic a starring world destination. The upcoming months will show whether these interest increases fortify aliases weaken America’s already vulnerable inbound tourism recovery.