US to charge £9 for Esta compulsory travel entry form
 

The US government is to start charging UK travellers $14 (£9) to apply for permission to enter the country. The compulsory Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (Esta) is free at present, but from 9 September visitors to the US will have to pay for it.

BBC News - US to charge £9 for Esta compulsory travel entry form

Insignificant compared with the UK APD though!!

I suppose Obama will blame BP for the need to impose the fee!:uhoh:

We know this has been in the pipeline for months. It's quite a reasonable price to pay, and as ZFT says it's insignificant compared to our ridiculous APD, supposedly for 'environmental' reasons. At least some, if not all, of the ESTA charge will go on promoting tourism. It's worth noting that if you enter the states by land you have to pay a $6 administration fee, but don't have to complete an ESTA.

With all the ancillary costs associated with it, very gradually the cost of a family holiday is becoming almost prohibitive. I can see me staying in Costa Del Garden in the future!

Have I got this right?

As a UK citizen going to the USA for a short holiday I have to obtain a visa or, if I'm considered suitable, can apply for the visa waiver scheme.

I will also have to pay £9 to enter the country.

A US citizen coming to the UK for short holiday does not need a visa and there is no charge to enter the country.

Seems a bit one-sided but as our prime minister has told the world we are junior partners to the USA I suppose we must doff our hats to the mighty Sam and accept the fact gratefully that we are allowed to enter his country at all - those who want to go that is.

Air passenger duty applies to everyone, whether British or overseas nationality, who flies from a UK airport so that is at least even-handed even if the duty itself is controversial.

Normally these charges and requirements are reciprocal so it is possible that the UK may introduce a charge.

As it is my compatriots (fortunately I have an EU passport) have to pay R816 for a short term visa or nearly R3000 for a 2 year one to visit the UK, whereas UK citizens do not pay for a holiday visa to SA. There is also the time involved, it's all a bit aggravating but it's the fault of our own Department of Home Affairs who allowed criminals to get ther filthy hands on blank passports which were then issued to non-South Africans.

ONLY for VISA waver travellers
 

if you go on to the web site, it specifically states:

All passengers traveling under the Visa Waiver Program are required to have an approved travel authorization prior to traveling to the United States by air or sea. Even non-ticketed infants are required to have an approved travel authorization, if they do not have a visa for travel to the United States. An application may be submitted by a third party on behalf of a Visa Waiver Program traveler.

So if you have a visa you dont pay.

glf

All the news articles seem to be saying that it replaced the I-94, it hasn't so you still need to fill out the I-94.

Jarvy

They've been trialling the replacement of the I-94 with just the ESTA for some months now between New Zealand and the US, so I imagine that this will be rolled out to other countries soon.

America seems to get more isolationist every day. Soon no one will vist there and then the American tourist organisations will complain :):):confused:

Simples! Go on holiday elsewhere. Canada for example, Wonderful Country, Wonderful people, and a feeling that as a visitor/tourist you are welcome.

As Capetonian says, South Africans have been shafted by the UK govt for a fee and so I expect the SA govt to return the favour. I have many SA friends and they can ill afford the Visa when travelling/staying here is seriously expensive for them. As far as I know, the Brits have not instituted a similar scheme against the other former colonies of OZ/NZ/Canada.

I recall in the early 1990s my lady needed a Visa to visit India, even though it was clearly a bureaucratic exercise just to keep people employed and generate income to pay for their employment.

In the current financial crisis, I expect many more countries to do this.

... or become a Canadian who don't need visa waivers (as no visa is required) or ESTA!

Don't forget to check out Moral Turpitude before you apply, you don't want to get that one wrong ...:ugh:

What I want to know is - just how Turpi does the tude have to be, before it's moral enough for the USA? Could be a good summer finding out ... :}

For India and China, you need a Visa, as well as letters of invitation. For Turkey, you get your Visa on entry. It cost me £10 in May. A guy from Eire and one from the Netherlands paid €15, while France and Italy were free. The US guy paid $20.

Think yourselves lucky ...
I have recently paid:

• A$100 for a VISA to enter India
• A$150 for a VISA to enter Vietnam
• US$25 to get into Cambodia ... and another US$25 to get out of Cambodia

No I-94W
 

I arrived in Seattle (from London) on a UK passport on 30 July having completed my ESTA some time before and did NOT have to complete an I-94W.

I'll be interested to see how they KNOW I've left the USA if I don't have the little tear off bit to give to the airline (mind you, I'm leaving the USA to enter Canada on a cruise ship but the principle still applies).

Australia charges AU$20 for an electronic travel authority applicable to theses countries:

Brunei
Canada
Hong Kong SAR
Japan
Malaysia
Singapore
South Korea
United States of America

However electronic visa applications from these countries are free:

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Republic of San Marino
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom - British Citizen
Vatican City

Mmmmm, Edmonton in January as an escape from the British winter. Somehow I think that I still prefer Saninbel FL.:cool: