ESTA Fee Increase Hits $40.62 on Oct 16, Plus EVUS at $31.75

The ESTA fee increase that takes effect on October 16, 2026 raises the U.S. travel authorization from $40.27 to $40.62. The change is small, yet it is the third price change in about a year. This guide explains what you will pay, why the amount keeps moving, and who actually needs to care.

Last checked: October 2026. For this update, we read the Department of Homeland Security notice published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026, and the earlier fee notices it builds on. Fees can change again, so confirm the amount on the official site right before you apply.

Illustration of global finance with coins, money, charts, and rising arrows — An illustrated financial scene highlights global commerce, currency, savings, and upward investment growth.

What the ESTA Fee Increase Changes on October 16

The new figure comes from a DHS notice titled “Certain DHS Immigration-Related Fees Required by HR-1: Fiscal Year 2027 Adjustments for Inflation”. According to that notice, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin assessing the fiscal year 2027 amounts on October 16, 2026. In other words, an application you pay for on October 15 should still cost the current amount.

The notice states the total as $40.62, made up of three parts: $17, $10.62 and $13 per travel authorization. However, a denied applicant does not pay the full total. In that case, the notice sets the charge at $10.62 to cover the cost of running the system.

The same notice also adjusts two related CBP fees. For example, EVUS enrollment moves from $30.75 to $31.75. Meanwhile, the HR-1 add-on for the land-border Form I-94 stays at $24, because the inflation increase rounded down to zero.

How the ESTA Fee Has Changed Since 2022

The jump to roughly $40 happened a year earlier, so the October 2026 change is a small trim on top. As a result, travelers who last applied in 2024 will notice a much bigger difference than people who renewed in early 2026. The table below lists each step and the document behind it.

Period	ESTA total	Legal source
Before May 2022	$14	Earlier CBP fee rule
May 2022 to Sept 29, 2025	$21	2022 ESTA fee final rule
Sept 30, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025	$40	HR-1 (Public Law 119-21)
Jan 1, 2026 to Oct 15, 2026	$40.27	FY 2026 inflation notice
From Oct 16, 2026	$40.62	FY 2027 inflation notice

ESTA fee history. Amounts are per travel authorization, as stated in each Federal Register document.

The 2022 step came from a CBP final rule that lifted the travel promotion portion from $10 to $17. Under that rule, the total rose from $14 to $21. Back then, a denied applicant paid $4.

Next, the 2025 budget law known as HR-1 (Public Law 119-21) added new travel fees. CBP started collecting them on September 30, 2025, which pushed the ESTA total to $40. The law also ties these fees to inflation, so small yearly changes are now expected.

Finally, the fiscal year 2026 notice set the total at $40.27 from January 1, 2026. That notice also lists the legal sections behind each fee. For instance, it cites Section 100014 of the law for ESTA and Section 100015 for EVUS.

Why the Price Moves a Little Every Year

The HR-1 fees carry a built-in inflation rule. According to the FY 2027 notice, DHS compared the consumer price index (CPI-U) for July 2025 with July 2026 and found a 3.36 percent rise. Each fee then follows its own rounding rule in the statute.

For example, EVUS rounds down to the next lowest $0.25, so its increase landed at exactly $1.00. By contrast, the I-94 add-on rounds down to the nearest dollar, so a $0.81 rise became zero, while ESTA has no rounding instruction at all. Therefore, expect a notice around the start of each fiscal year, usually with small changes.

Who Needs an ESTA, EVUS or Paid I-94

An ESTA is the online approval that citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need before flying to the United States. The program allows tourism or business stays of 90 days or less without a visa. However, it does not allow employment, and the State Department lists work as a prohibited activity.

Several groups feel the change most. For example, a European or Australian nomad who connects through a U.S. airport on the way to Mexico or Latin America needs an ESTA for that transit too. Likewise, couples or families pay the fee once per traveler, so a family of four now pays about $162 at the new rate.

EVUS is a separate system. Instead of ESTA, it applies to holders of certain long-validity Chinese passport visas, who must update their details through the EVUS enrollment page. As a result, the $31.75 figure matters mainly to that group.

The I-94 fee is for people who enter by land and need a paper or electronic arrival record. In that case, the HR-1 add-on of $24 sits on top of the existing $6 charge. So the land-border total stays at $30 under the new notice.

U.S. citizens do not pay any of these fees to come home. Still, American nomads often travel with partners or friends who hold other passports. In that situation, the cost and timing of the partner’s ESTA can affect shared travel plans.

Should You Apply Before October 16?

Applying early saves 35 cents, which is not a reason on its own. However, an early application can make sense if you already plan a U.S. trip in the next two years. An approved ESTA is generally valid for up to two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, according to CBP’s ESTA FAQ.

On the other hand, avoid applying with a passport that expires soon. A new passport generally requires a new ESTA, so you would pay twice. Also, a passport renewal planned for the next few months is a good reason to wait.

Remote workers face a separate question. The Visa Waiver Program does not create a remote-work category, and border officers decide admission case by case. Therefore, if you plan to keep working for a foreign employer while in the U.S., check the rules with the U.S. embassy or an immigration lawyer, since individual circumstances can change the answer.

How to Pay the Correct Amount

Use the official ESTA website run by CBP. Many private sites offer to file the form for you and add their own service charge on top of the government fee. As a result, a search ad can easily cost you far more than $40.62.

Check that the web address ends in .gov before entering card details.
Compare the price at checkout with the amount in the Federal Register notice.
Keep the confirmation email, since you may need the application number later.
Apply well before departure, since some applications go into pending review.

If a payment shows a different total, stop and recheck the site. For instance, $40.27 before October 16 and $40.62 after it match the published notices. In contrast, a charge of $80 or more usually signals a third-party agent.

Related Rule Changes Worth Tracking

The U.S. is not alone in moving to paid digital pre-clearance. For example, Europe’s upcoming ETIAS will also charge a fee, and we covered the timeline in our ETIAS delay explainer. In short, budget a growing line item for entry permits if you hop between regions.

Laptop, smartphone, passport, and travel checklist on a desk — A laptop, passport, and travel checklist create an organized planning scene by a sunlit window.

FAQ

How much is the ESTA fee after October 16, 2026?

According to the DHS notice, the total is $40.62 per approved travel authorization. If CBP denies the application, the charge is $10.62 instead. Confirm the amount on the official site before you pay, since fees may change again.

Do I need a new ESTA because of the fee change?

No new application should be needed just because the price changed. Generally, an approved ESTA stays valid until its own expiry date or until your passport expires. However, a new passport or certain changes in your answers typically require a fresh application.

Does the EVUS fee change too?

Yes, the same notice raises EVUS enrollment from $30.75 to $31.75 from October 16, 2026. By contrast, the land-border I-94 add-on stays at $24. So the overall I-94 charge remains $30.