September 8, 2025, 3:13 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Anyone planning to travel to the United States soon should act quickly: The electronic travel authorization ESTA is becoming significantly more expensive. Those who apply in time can still secure the old price.
ESTA Is Becoming Almost Twice as Expensive
On September 30, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will increase the fees for the ESTA. Instead of the previous $21, applicants will soon have to pay $40–equivalent to about 34 euros. This nearly doubles the costs.
Travelers who plan to enter the U.S. this year or in 2026 can apply for the ESTA now and secure the currently lower fee. Once approved, an ESTA is valid for two years, provided the passport used does not expire earlier. In that case, the ESTA also loses its validity when the passport expires.
Important for travelers whose ESTA is about to expire: The authorization only needs to be valid at the time of entry, not throughout the entire stay.
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What to Consider When Applying
The ESTA is required for all travelers–including children and infants. Families have the option to submit a group application. The authorization allows visa-free stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. Even transit passengers who are only stopping over in the U.S. need a valid ESTA.
The U.S. agency recommends submitting the application at least 72 hours before departure. However, it is better to act early. In addition to personal information, applicants must answer a series of questions.
Especially important: The application should be submitted exclusively through official channels–either via the CBP website or the official ESTA app for Android and iOS. Consumer advocates explicitly warn against unofficial providers, who often charge additional fees.
ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization. It can be applied for by nationals of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program–including Germany.
Fee Increase Is Part of a New Law
If an ESTA application is rejected, only the processing fee is charged. This is currently $4 but will increase to $10 on September 30.
The fee increase is part of a new and controversial law called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which U.S. President Donald Trump signed in early July.
With material from dpa