Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Travel
Milo Boyd

Major travel change for UK tourists heading to the United States from TODAY

Travel to the US is about to get more expensive when a visa fee rises by 50%.

From today the cost of a Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) will increase from $14 (£11) to $21 (£17).

ESTAs are the visas that most Brits use to get into the country.

The document lasts for two years, anyone expecting to travel in the next 24 months could apply today to avoid the extra charge.

It's mandatory for visitors to the US, such as Brits using British passports, travelling under the Visa Waiver Program.

All those who travel through the country on the way to somewhere else also need to pick one up.

Entry to the US just got a little bit more expensive (AFP)

ESTA allows travellers from 40 countries participating in the visa waiver programme to enter the US for stays of up to 90 days without having to acquire a visa.

US Customs data shows ESTA applications slumped to just 1.2 million last year from 6.3 million in 2020 and a 15.1 million high in pre-pandemic 2019.

A similar scheme will soon take place for EU countries.

Travellers from the UK will have to pay a fee for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System).

The new application is an electronic travel permit that has been introduced to enhance the security and enforce the borders of the Schengen zone and is expected to start at the end of 2022.

The new visa waiver is expected to be valid for three years and allow unlimited entries into the EU.

UK travellers will need to complete the short ETIAS online application form.

The application form should not take longer than 10 minutes to complete.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.